Page 175 of Gift from the Nexus

“Yes, but our relationship was born with a bond. I’m Willow’sGuardriaand I helped raise the boys.”

With speed faster than the eye can follow, Keeper is out of his seat, hugging Gaster, taking us all by surprise, even the old man. He’s typically very receptive to hugs, at least mine, but it takes him a second before he slowly, softly pats Keeper’s back in return.

“Okay, sit down, you two. Willy’s about to show us her epic battle with the Summum-Master,” Oakly orders before flicking my hand away and stealing the last pastry.

“Her what?” Gaster shouts.

Little wanderer growls before plucking the pastry that was almost in Oakly’s mouth and eats it herself while shooting daggers at her sister. “Thanks a lot. You love snitching me out so eloquently.”

“Well, someone had to tell him. Might as well be me again.” Oakly snickers.

“Let me just show everyone, then you can fuss at me. Keeper, I’m going to have to kinda invade your mind a little bit. Is that okay with you?” Willow asks.

“Of course. What’s about to happen?”

She explains she’s about to do the same thing again that she did in the forest to him when she slapped him on his forehead but swears it won’t be as invasive as it was then. He easily agrees with another apology for putting her in the situation he had herin when she did that. Not gonna lie, a little growl does slip out, but he smiles at me proudly, so I obviously don’t offend him with my protectiveness.

At everyone’s repeated ready, Willow’s magic flows across my mind and we begin watching from the moment she fucking seared that behemoth’s face off. Fuck, I hope he died. We were a little distracted to keep up with his worthless ass and I was trying not to get turned on in the middle of a battle when she beat the shit out of her rapist fucking scumbag. Rewatching it now, we should’ve stepped in and snatched his ass up to make sure he didn’t get away, but his time’s coming. I won’t rest until his ass is crushed between my teeth.

The collective tension is strong amongst us all the moment the Summum-Master traps her in an air bubble with him, but she’s so strong. She stands there like the fucking dragon goddess she is and tells his ass right off.

Even in my physical skin, I jump a little when their power collides. I didn’t have to be in there with her to get a feel for his evil nature. It’s potent. Obvious. He’s literally the most ruthless, dangerous, hate-filled creature to walk this realm.

When we catch her in our arms, she slowly begins to pull out of our minds and the sounds of our exhales echo across the patio. That was rough to watch. Not the roughest thing we’ve seen, but that was the first taste of what we’re truly up against and it’s fucking petrifying. Even to me.

“You handled him far better than any other before you. You’re truly a force to be reckoned with, Adored,” Keeper says into the silence.

“Can…do you know why he’s so obsessed with my blood? My bloodline?” she asks him softly.

His shoulders straighten as he looks at her a little bewildered. The cock of his head alludes that he does, in fact, know that answer but is surprised by something.

“You really don’t know?” he asks.

“No, I don’t. We know there’s something special about my blood, but we haven’t figured it out yet. My brother has my blood as well, so now I don’t know if it’s only me or both of us.”

Keeper follows her gaze over to Lyker and his eyes shift to their reddest form as he inhales deeply. Lyker and his Nexus tense, waiting for whatever’s about to happen. We all do, but as Keeper exhales, his eyes shift back to normal.

“You share blood, yes, but his does not have the component yours does,” he says before scanning all of us, gauging our postures. “I thought in the forest you were trying to lie to me about not knowing how to get me back to my realm, but I see that’s not the case at all. What I’m about to say is going to upset all of you. I can tell by your closeness to one another, you all are protective over each other, so please bear in mind my situation before you pass judgment.”

“If what you have to tell us will help answer Willow’s questions or was something you had to do against your will, we won’t hold it against you,” Corentin swears.

“I’ve drunk the blood of yours and the generations passed. Multiple times over.”

“W-What?”

“Not in the way you’re assuming, never from the vein obviously, but I’ve always had a cup of it before I’ve performed the ritual to lay the rune. Your bloodline is the most powerful blood I’ve ever consumed. It fuels me enough that I could go weeks without feeding and still be fine.”

“I…Why did you drink it?” she asks quietly, looking a little unnerved, as are the rest of us, and Tillman’s quick to lift her and sit her in his lap.

“Because he made me. He knew that it would increase my power, make the rune more potent. The stronger I am, the stronger it is. He has a supply of your grandmother’s, yourmother’s, and your blood. Where, I don’t know, but it’s his most protected stock of any weapon.”

“That’s why…” she trails off, tears filling her eyes.

“Why the three of you were drained for years? Yes. I’m sorry, Adored, but that’s not all. I just needed you to be aware because the taste of your bloodline has been on my tongue for many years and I’ve pieced much together between that and the Summum-Master’s actions. My drinking your blood is not the most important part.”

“What else could there be?” she asks, outraged.

“The red pendant he wears clasped on his robe. You know the one I speak of?” She nods, and he presses on. “That is your blood inside. It’s a Reservoir gem shaped into a M. A drop of your blood is needed to open the portal to the nonmagical realm.”

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