Page 123 of Gift from the Wing

“We’ll be there in a second,” he says after not saying anything else rather just listening to the one-sided conversation. “They need us up there. There’re only a few minutes left until we hit the six-hour mark. The palace healers are trying to convince the Mercie Nexus to let go. Aurora is ready to kick them all out, but Jamie needs help.”

The sadness in his tone pulls another drenched sob from my chest and I can’t hold in the scream any longer. I let it pour from me as I push up on my knees and rock back and forth. All around me, it feels like the walls are closing in. I’m seconds from suffocating under the pressure of it.

I can’t lose her.

“Then do what you must, young one. You have all the tools at your disposal now. Use them. The flame, the blood, the cure. Your father-in-law. Her Nexus, your own. Find a solution to the problem in front of you witheverything you have. You are a dragon, a Primary, a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, an Awaiting Matriarch, a Guardian, and an Adored. There is nothing you cannot do,”Tanith says gently but firmly.

My tear-soaked, violet eyes snap open and meet her glittering gold ones. They’re so full of conviction, it nearly steals the little bit of air I’m able to suck into my lungs.

Crawling over to her, I cup her snout in my hands and lay my forehead to hers. The power beneath her scales flutters across my body, and my dragon unfurls her wings and tilts her head up. Ready.

“I can do this.”

“You can do this, young one.”

Nodding, I stand up, wipe my face, then basically snatch Gaster off the ground and drag him along with me. Determination spreads throughout my body as I try to put the multiple pieces of what must happen together in my mind.

“What is the plan, Willow?”

“I’m still working on that,” I say, blowing out my breath. “We’re going to work it out with everyone. I’m going to need their help.”

The two of us race through the healing wing and the second we hit the floor Oakly’s on, I hear her men yelling, and the tension rolling in waves down this hall hits me straight in the gut.

They’re seconds from losing their shit and my men, my brother, his brothers, Aria, Aurora, my Patera-Nexus, and Keeper are all standing with them.

“This is unethical and inhumane. You all should allow the girl to pass. Be here with her and spend your last few moments together in peace. I will not stand to allow myself or my team to continue working on someone who is clearly gone, and you all just don’t want to accept that,” the head healer says sternly, staring down at the small army of my family.

“Then get the fuck out,” I say calmly as I push my way into the overcrowded room.

“Excuse—”

“I didn’t stutter. Get the fuck out. Your help is no longer needed,” I say, dismissing the asshole who’s clearly already given up on my sister.

“You have no auth—”

“My daughter has all the authority she needs, but if that isn’t enough for you, then hear it from me. Get the fuck out,” Aurora says dangerously low, sending the room into silence.

Except for me.

I laugh. Because obviously I’ve lost my mind, and I have no other choice but to laugh or I’ll crumble.

“Willow, I need extra hands. It’s rapidly taking over. I…I can’t do it on my own,” Jamie says as sweat drips into his eyes, but he doesn’t dare remove his hands.

“You’re not going to do it alone. We’re about to heal her right now, but I need everyone’s help with working this out of my mind,” I say as I come to stand beside my sister.

“What have you got, trouble?” Ry asks, choked, and I can’t bring myself to look at him, so instead, I squeeze Oakly’s hand.

“Multiple things have to happen all at once. I have to burn the Aconight plant out of her blood. Even though we’ve already given her a Poison of Essence cure, I think she’ll need another. She needs to receive blood as the infected bits of hers are going to be burned away. And all of you need to be touching her. She needs her connection to her Nexus. Jamie, she’ll still need your magic and Draken’s. She should probably be kept cool as well. I’m going to be…burning her from the inside out. I just don’t know the order in which this should all happen.”

The room falls eerily silent as they all stare at me. Hope and pure desperation pierce my soul, and I finally look up at my brothers born from bonds. They’re each staring at me like I’ve just given them the winning numbers to the royal chance and their surefire belief in me has my heart swelling.

“Okay, everyone, get in positions. Jamie, stay where you are. Draken, move up by her head so you can feed her directly and Jamie. Ry, San, Nikoli, opposite side of Willow. Princess, get where you need to be. Keeper, you need to manipulate the blood transfer. Who’s giving the blood?” Corentin asks, fully taking over organizing everything to perfection.

“Willow should. Her blood is the strongest and I will add some of my own as well to give her a boost in lifeforce,” Keeper easily agrees, coming to stand beside me.

“Good. Next, Tillman ground Willow, keep her thoughts clear. I’ll keep my air circulating around Oakly to keep her cool.”

“I’ll add my water. It’s her element as well and she’ll need to be hydrated,” Caspian says, stepping out of the cover of darkness, and my eyes fill with tears once again when they lock on his.

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