Page 157 of Gift from the Nexus

“He’s not my family. He’s my enemy, and I know you’re not a fool. I know the Summum-Master has been lying to you for centuries and he’ll continue to. He has no plans of setting you free or returning your treasure to you,” I say quietly but as firmly as possible.

That does not get the reaction I thought it would.

Instead of loosening his grip around my throat, he squeezes it punishingly, completely cutting off my airways and baring his fangs at me. For a moment, I think for sure he’s going to snap my damn neck or drink me dry.

The only thing that comes to mind to do is slam my palm to his forehead. It takes him by surprise, but before he has the chance to react, I put his mind in a death grip and let a few pieces of the conversation between me and Tanith flow between the two of us. His fingers continue to flex against my pulse as he has no choice but to watch what I’m showing him until the moment I leave her cave.

His body trembles slightly from his own emotions racing through him and the force of Tillman’s earth element before he drops me on my ass and takes a few steps away from me, breathing heavily. I roll to all fours and pull air into my lungs, while holding my hand up to tell my men not to approach yet.

“I promise I’m okay. If you attack him now, he’ll lose all faith. I had to show him we mean him no harm. He thought the Summum-Master sent me here.”

“If he touches you one more time, princess, he’ll be dead where he stands. That is your one and only warning,” Corentin says sternly, and when I turn my head to them, they’re all shaking, holding themselves back only because I asked them to.

Nodding, I push myself up and rub the lingering pain from my neck. When I’m fully standing, I pull my shoulders back and look at Keeper. His eyes and hair have shifted to his more controlled state, and I stare into those ruby orbs that are warring with believing me and killing me.

“You will tell me everything. How did you see her? Is she safe?” he asks demandingly, and I shake my head.

“I’m willing to be very open and honest with you about everything, but not under your demands.” I release a deep breath and stare him down. “Make a vow with me.”

“Fuck no,” both Caspian and Draken argue, and I feel the other two’s unease slither across my chest as well.

“This is how it must be.”

I don’t necessarily like it or agree with it, but I won’t stoop to the Summum-Master’s level and force him to comply with the information I hold. If a mutually benefitting vow will get him on our side, that’s a risk I’m willing to take.

A slight twitch on his lips lets me know he believes he has the advantage here, and if I didn’t know everything I do, he probably would, but that’s not how this is going to be.

“Okay, girl. Tell me what it is you want to vow.”

“We aren’t going to play this game with one another, Keeper,” I say harshly, and his eyes widen with the use of his name. I guess since there have only been two people in centuries to call him that, he wasn’t expecting me to. “My name is Willow, and that’s what you’ll call me. Not girl or any other ill-tinged nickname. I swear to you, I’m not your enemy. I’m so much more to you than that, but if an asshole is how you want to act, a bitch is what I’ll be.”

He cocks his head to the side and crosses his arms as if he’s trying to figure me out. I sort of prepped myself for his dickish attitude because well, who wouldn’t be an asshole after hundreds of years being locked in a forest unjustly, but regardless, I’m not going to be treated like an idiot or disrespected.

“Willow then,” he says, bowing his head slightly. “What do you have to vow for me?”

“I need you to break your alliance with the Summum-Master. When I get you out of here, I need you to help remove all the runes you’ve left and help us any other way to take the Summum-Master down. In return, I’ll take you straight to Tanith. I’ll help you free her, and I’ll help take care of both of youuntil we can figure out how to get you back to your realm. You both will be safe.”

I swear I heard Caspian sigh just now, and if this situation weren’t as serious, I’d laugh. There’s no doubt they’re all thinking, “great, another girl to save,” but little do they know…

There’s a beat of silence before Keeper begins laughing, cutting off my thoughts. It’s a humorless one. One that pisses me all the way off because he thinks this is a joke.

“You almost had me. Almost fooled me just as he did. No. I’ve grown tired of broken promises and empty words. The path to my freedom is known to both him and you, yet after hundreds of years, I’m still a slave to this forest and I won’t make myself a slave to anyone else.”

“You won’t be a slave. I don’t want to use your abilities beyond you fixing what you’ve been forced to do. There won’t be any restraints on you other than the realm’s feeding laws. Those you will abide by, no ifs, ands, or buts. Other than that, I swear to you, you’ll be free. No collar beneath your skin or threat of beheading,” I swear, pointing to his neck.

I know I have him when he reaches up unconsciously and rubs his invisible cord. How that thing must feel like a ton. Always there. Always reminding him of a death that could come at any time.

“You know?” he asks skeptically.

“I do and I know how to remove it. It’s going to hurt, but it won’t kill you,” I whisper, lowering my voice enough only he hears me.

He stares at me for a long, uncomfortable, and tense moment. I’m almost to the point of shifting from side to side to release some of my unease when he finally speaks again.

“Is that all you wish of me, Willow? My allegiance to move from him to you? In exchange I’ll be granted my freedom and Tanith’s until we can go home?”

“Amongst one other thing. Before we move forward, though, I need to hear you tell me, word for word what you’ll vow. I won’t be happy with any surprise loopholes or trickery. I’m in this with the best intentions for you, Tanith, the realm, and my Nexus. I need you to be the same,” I say sternly, but I plead with my eyes. I let him see my true intentions, motives, and beliefs.

“I’ll vow to undo all runes I have bound. Any you bring forth to me, I will revert. I’ll vow to help you take down the Summum-Master in any way I can, not only because of your request but for my own want. I’ll vow to follow the feeding laws laid forth by the rulers of this realm. I will not feed from an unwilling source. I swear this to you if you hold your end of the vow. You’ll vow that you in fact know how to free me and you will do so. You’ll vow Tanith’s protection and safety for the remainder of our entrapment here. You’ll vow to not make me your slave nor kill me.”

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