Page 141 of Gift from the Wing

“Willow, what the—”

“Hold on.”

Tugging her with me, I jump over the side.

Commanding out a burst of my air, I slow our descent as Tanith swoops down and we land easily on her back. With a roar to rival mine or Draken’s, she takes off through the sky, while Oakly shrieks.

“Are you fucking crazy? A warning, Willow.”

“Oh, where would the fun be in that?”

“I was prepared for you, young Seeker. No need to fret.”

Oakly flinches on my side and her grip on my hand becomes punishing. Her gaze bounces between Tanith and me, but I don’t bother hiding my smirk from her.

Tanith has accepted her into the fold.

“She just spoke to me.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Oh my fucks, she loves me.”

“Family of my Adored is family to me. You’re very loved, Oakly. By many.”

My poor best friend shivers, and her face completely shuts down. The denial to Tanith’s very true statement is sitting right there on her tongue. It’s consuming every thought that tries to surface.

Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I pull her closer to me. She’s stiff and tense, reluctant to accept my affection, but I don’t relent on my grip,and she gives in.

Then she shatters.

Hard, heartbreaking sobs tear through her as she pours her all out in the endless stretch of blue and white. The ground would surely shake if we weren’t hundreds of feet in the air and I’m surprised the sky doesn’t thunder in response to her pain.

I stay strong for her. Biting my tongue to the point it hurts so I can hold my tears at bay, but it’s gut-wrenching to feel her fall apart in my arms. It makes me both murderous and heartbroken.

Tanith and I don’t butt in or try to soothe away her sorrow. I knew this would happen once we got up here and I’m positive Tanith did as well. That’s why she said what she said. Between her sweet, heartfelt comment and the peaceful bliss that soaring brings, it’s nearly impossible not to let your feelings go. The concoction is like the realm’s most gentle hug.

“How do you feel?” I ask quietly when she finally sits up off my shoulder and wipes her face.

A long sigh falls from her lips as she stares blankly through the clouds. “That day at Rebel Castle, when Gaster and I were teaching you our gifts, I was too ashamed to agree with him, at least out loud, that I question everything Elementra does when it comes to you. I’ve always known and believed you’re just supposed to trust in her, but since you got here, nothing makes sense, yet it makes perfect sense in the end. It’s so confusing, but I’m so grateful for it because things that need to change are changing. But times like your kidnapping, and now this with me, I just can’t wrap my head around it. Why do things like this happen, Willow? Why does she allow it?”

Her head turns to me and the slow stream of tears flowing from her eyes, paired with the desperate desire for an answer nearly slings me off Tanith’s back. Fuck, it’s a question I’ve asked so many times. CC’s asked. My guys. Everyone I know I’m sure has asked.

It wasn’t until that moment in Pyra that I finally figured it out.

And it isn’t until this moment, staring into my sister’s shattering eyes, that I know my assumption to be true.

“I spent the whole time you were in the healing wing and all day yesterday thinking about that,” I whisper, blowing out a harsh breath asI cocoon us in a bubble of air, while keeping my mind open to Tanith. “There was a moment when we were rescuing you that Elementra came to me, quickly, just long enough to tell me to make my decision. I didn’t even have to think about my decision. It was as easy as breathing to know what I was going to do.”

“What do you mean?”

Holding her gaze, I fight with myself about what to do or say next. What will seeing what happened do to her? Will it help or hurt? Should she even know? Her men nor I have told her anything that’s happened from the time the drug really took over her mind to the time she woke up. It’s been obvious that she hasn’t been ready.

“I need to know, Oak, honestly, how much do you want to know?”

Her face morphs into a multitude of emotions over the span of maybe three seconds. From grief, to anger, to vengefulness, to relief. It’s all there.

“All of it.”

---