Page 191 of Gift from the Nexus

“We’ll set the record straight as soon as we get there. I want her involved and I’d love for her to accept me with open arms the way your dad did, so let’s get ready to go,” Willow declares, standing from her seat.

Her nervousness is running rampant through her and there will be no calming her now until we get there and do just as she said.

I guess it’s time to introduce her to the parents.

We’re ready to go in no less than an hour and despite us trying to tell Willow we can leave after lunch, she’s hearing none of it.

“How long will it take to fly there?” she asks Draken as we make it out to the back lawn.

We each have a small bag in our hands since there’re clothes and everything else we could possibly need there. And I only bothered packing Willow’s favorite necessities. She, or more likely Tillman, can make whatever else she may need or want. My plan is to only stay a night, but we’ll see how that goes.

“Fifteen minutes max, little wanderer.”

“What? We’ve been that close to the palace this entire time?” she asks, glaring at each of us as if this is a colossal secret.

“Yes, Primary. The Central is only so large. It just seems larger because of all the wards and forest that’ve been planted over time. If you were to run straight through our forest on foot, it would only take about an hour, maybe an hour and a half to reach the forest we grew up playing in. On the opposite side of the palace is the forest that would lead you into the woods where we found Draken. The side directly across from the south wing was the area I was kidnapped from. It’s not a monumental space,” Caspian says matter-of-factly.

“Well, shit,” she murmurs, looking at the forest in a whole new light.

“Come on, princess,” I say, laying my hand to her back and guiding her farther into the lawn.

“I’d like to shift and fly if that’s okay. Clear my head before we get there,” she whispers to me.

“Of course it is. I’ll ride with you,” I say softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead when she beams up at me like I just gave her the greatest gift of all time.

Keeper climbs on Tanith, preparing to take off, and offers Gaster a spot with him that he jumps all over. You’d think a man of his age would be more graceful when it comes to discovering and experiencing something new for the first time, but he, in fact, gets just as excited, if not more, than Willow does.

Tillman and Caspian take their spots on Draken’s back and when my princess is ready for me, I use my air to glide me up and settle myself on her back gently. Not going to lie, I’ve been a little apprehensive about riding on her because she’s just as damn wild as Draken is in the sky, but she wanted company, just didn’t want to ask us and we say no, so I made the decision for her. As she takes off, I try to block out my unease, but she senses it and her laughter flows through my mind like a melody.

She sets a leisurely pace with Tanith and Draken rather than her typical wild performance and my muscles loosen as I geta little more comfortable on her back. It’s easy to see and feel how they get lost up here, how it calms them down when they’re dealing with something. It’s breathtaking. Always has been, but I’ve always let my mind stay busy, distracted rather than take in the beauty and peace that’s found in the white endless fluff we fly through.

When Willow flies directly through a cloud, the air becomes a touch cooler and tiny water droplets kiss my warm skin. It’s like a cocoon of light and shadow, where rays of sunlight pierce through, calling my gift to the surface, searching for its source of power.

I hold my hand out, gathering the light until it molds into a swirling shiny ball and once it gets to about the size of my head, I throw it in the air, making it explode into an array of colors.

Willow’s laugh rumbles through her body as the vibrant display continues to burst around us and my brothers suddenly merge through the cloud. Like old times, Caspian fires out frozen water balls, and I hit them with my gift, commanding them to embed themselves in the center. We used to do this all the time when Draken first started flying us, because he said it was the closest he’d ever get to soaring in the stars. I have no doubt now, if he wanted to get as high as the stars he could, we’d ride along with him just to see.

His childlike excitement hits me in my chest, and I laugh as me and Caspian pick up speed, creating a sky full of diamonds for him and Willow to dive in and out of. Time seems to stand still for us, for just a moment, as we indulge in this freedom, unburdened by the realm.

The smile’s still lingering on my lips as we burst through back into the boundless blue and the sight of the palace takes my princess by surprise. Her shock reverberates through me, and I slowly rub her back, sending her all my love and reassurance.We warned her it was a quick flight, but time moves faster when you’re having fun.

Her nervousness grows as Draken starts his descent, leading the way for her and Tanith. When she sees my dad Dyce standing at the end of the drive by himself, though, she releases her breath that cascades around me in a ball of smoke.

“Damn, that’s the most magical shit I’ve ever seen in my life,” Dyce cheers as we land and the second Willow shifts back, he scoops her up in his arms. “That was epic, my girl. Promise you’ll take me up next.”

“Dad, easy,” I grumble, pulling Willow back to me.

“If you’re willing to fly, I’ll gladly take you up,” my princess says, smiling from ear to ear.

“Hell yeah, I am,” he says with one more hug to her before bounding over to the others and introduces himself to Keeper.

Looking back down at my princess when I feel that happiness fade back to nervousness, she’s staring ahead at the palace, taking the structure in like it’s going to bite her if she approaches too quickly.

“Everything’s going to be okay, princess.”

“I know. I’m just nervous. This feels big. Your mom…” she trails off, blowing out a harsh breath. “If she likes me, she’ll be the first influential woman I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve been so scared for this moment because it means so much to me. Part of me has wanted to avoid this at all costs out of fear of rejection, while the other craves a relationship with her.”

“My Aurora has been crying since she spoke with Corentin. She’s waited years and years for this moment, sweet girl. I don’t think there’s a thing you could walk in there and do or say that would make her not like you. She already loves you and she only knows your name,” Dyce butts in softly, obviously eavesdropping, and smiles down at Willow warmly.

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