Page 67 of Gift from the Nexus

Technically, I know there’s some sort of importance involving me that we’re all still missing given the purpose Elementra has dubbed to be mine, but there’s still so much missing, and it just doesn’t make any sense.

“Because of your—” Trex grunts, cutting his words off.

Blood begins to slowly drip from his nose, hitting the table with an audible splash, and Codi immediately makes a tissue with his element and passes it over to him as worry creeps through every surface of him.

“What’s happening?” he asks frantically.

“The rune. I can’t talk about her in detail,” Trex mutters, cleaning up the mess of his nose.

“You’ve mentioned a rune multiple times now, but you were checked and there is no marking on you. And you said youcould tear it down, so what are you referring to?” Corentin asks calculatingly.

“She can see it.” Trex nods at me.

Cocking my head to the side curiously at him, I, in fact, don’t see anything. If the guys said he’s been checked and didn’t see anything, I’m not sure what he could mean.

“You can see things others can’t. If you couldn’t, you wouldn’t have been able to bring the structure’s concealment down,” he adds after a minute of me just staring.

What—Oh. Oh!

“Reveal to me their disguise, show their truth through my knowing eyes.”

My gasp echoes around the room as my hands fly up to cover my mouth. My eyes water when I stare at Trex’s forehead. Right there in the center, is the Mastery’s M circled. Unlike the other runes that’ve been large white scars, his is blood red.

“Princess,” Corentin says softly, rubbing my thigh.

“It’s concealed, on his forehead.”

“You said there are others who have runes like you,” Tillman says.

“There are. Just a few. Those who are of more value to the Summum-Master.”

“Shit. Layton,” Draken states, wide-eyed.

“The Chameleon? Yeah. He was going to make him a spy, make him join the E.F.” Trex nods.

“And the creature is the only one who’s able to remove these runes?” Caspian asks, although we know that answer.

“Yeah. I’m not an idiot. I know you all know how important he is and you know more than what you’re letting on, so I know your plan is to go after him, and it’s the smartest plan. Getting to him would quickly damage a lot of the Summum-Master’s plans. If you all can get into the forest to get him, that’s your best shot at defeating the Mastery. The creature likes to makedeals. He has half the Masters tied to him somehow by vows. He’s sneaky in his words, though, always able to find a loophole. There’s something in this realm he wants, and the Summum-Master isn’t giving it to him, so he’s trying to get it any other way he can,” he says, sniffling as his bloody nose begins to drip again.

“Tell us what you know on the Summum-Master,” Caspian demands.

“I don’t know who he is. I’m not completely positive anyone does. Maybe Franklin. Franklin’s his right-hand, and they have plans for Willow. His powers, though, they’re different, not right. I’ve never seen or heard anything like it in my life. The more runes connect to him, the stronger he grows. They seem to cause his powers to evolve. I…I can’t go into detail,” Trex strains to say, holding the cloth back up to his nose as blood once again begins to pour. “What he wants is straightforward. He hates Elementra. He hates and holds a personal vendetta against the Vito line, swears he’s the rightful ruler, and your family stole the throne from him. If my rune was removed, I could…” He grunts out in pain.

“That’s enough, we need to take a break. He’s going to kill himself giving us answers. His mark flares every time he says anything about me or the Summum-Master,” I state firmly as Trex begins to pale. We can’t get anything else of value from him right now without putting his life in jeopardy, and I’m not willing to do that.

“We’ll take a break. Codi, you can take him to a lower cell and get him a healing vial,” Tillman declares.

“Willow,” Trex says, strained, as Codi stands him up.

“Yeah?” I ask softly. He looks seconds from passing out.

“You need to talk to Franklin, sooner rather than later. He won’t talk about the Summum-Master, I’m sure, but he’ll talk about you. Things you need to know. He can say more than me. You need to know before you go to the forest.”

I stare at his back as Codi basically carries him out of the room. His rune is doing a number on his mind and I’m incredibly thankful for Aria’s help in being able to block it enough to keep him alive.

Turning to my men, I find them already staring at me, waiting on my decision. I know they don’t want me to see Franklin yet, but they aren’t going to make the choice for me.

Fuck. Time to face one of my nightmares.

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