Page 87 of Gift from the Nexus

Shuffling back and forth on my feet, he finally finishes his last circle. When he stops back in front of me, the glowing hue to his eyes dims, and his normal gaze is both soft and sad.

For a heartbeat, we stare at one another, trapped in a moment of uncertainty and denial. I don’t know what to do or say, so I continue to hold his gaze as he searches.

Slowly, he lifts his hand to my face, and his thumb rubs across my cheek.

“Your eyes,” he mumbles.

His words trigger my Memoria stone and an inferno spreads across my chest. One gasping breath is all I manage, then I’m forcefully pulled into my mind.

Fourteen

Willow

Standing in the middle of a cave, my boot taps anxiously, creating an echoing through the small space, and the ticking of my timekeeper makes the time passing almost unbearable. What is taking so long?

Wait a second…

My feet aren’t that big. Neither is my timekeeper.

Clarity slowly crawls across my subconscious and my senses return, bringing with them relief, but as I try to wipe my brow,my arms don’t listen to my command. I have no control over anything else.

This isn’t a vision or my own memory.

I’m in someone else’s mind again.

The slightest sound of buzzing has whoever’s body I’m in turning around rapidly to stare at the dark cave wall. Shoving the timekeeper back into their pocket, they stand tall and square their shoulders for whatever is about to happen.

Their emotions flow through me keenly and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m accidentally inhabiting their body, or my gift is allowing me to do this, but they’re nervous beyond belief. They feel moments away from being sick, but they’re holding strong, slowing their breathing and relaxing their mind.

Before us, me, them, who the hell ever, a swirling vortex opens, one so colorful, so familiar, I gasp.

Stepping through with blood still dripping from her fingers, her curly brown hair disheveled and pure confidence flowing off her in waves, is my mom. Even though I didn’t see her fully when Elementra allowed me to see her memory, I know it’s her.

She tensely turns around, no doubt adrenaline still pumping through her veins as she takes in her surroundings. Although small like me, maybe a few inches taller, her current state does nothing but accentuate her strength. The marks on her wrist from where the chains have rubbed her flesh raw, the cuts, bruises, afflictions I’m all too familiar with make her look like a formidable warrior. A Valkyrie who descended from the heavens and swept the floor with her enemies.

Which she did. All but one important one.

The stranger’s body who I’m piggy-backing with, witnessing this historic event in my life, lets out a loud, audible breath and their previous nervous apprehension swiftly turns to joy and excitement.

Aww, shit, am I in one of her Nexus members’ minds?

Her head quickly whirls around at the sound, and if I were in my body right now, I would’ve fallen on my ass.

Fuck, she’s gorgeous.

Shining brighter than any star in the night sky are glowing silver eyes. The way light reflects through a diamond and bursts into a multitude of infinite patterns, that’s her eyes.

Eyes that match my own.

“Your eyes.” Lyker’s words bounce around in my mind on repeat. He’s said it before. I barely remember because I was on the verge of dying and he didn’t touch me, but today, he did. He recognized my eyes, her eyes. But how…

“CC.”

I’m sorry, who? What did she just say?

“It’s been a while, old friend.” CC’s voice, my CC, ricochets around the cave and my brain.

They know my mom.

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