Page 159 of Gift from the Wing

Lowering myself to the ground, I lean my back against the crystal and release a steady breath. The last thing I want is to be invaded with the burning pain I felt last time. I’ll stay pressed as closely as I can to my crystal until I know no shit like that will be happening again.

You can do this, Willow.

You can control what comes through.

Breathe.

“I wish I could tell you it was as simple as that, filia mea, but sadly, it’s not. You can, however, tell it what you want to see. Sometimes you get an answer. Sometimes you do not.”

I close my eyes and relish the warming of my bond that comes with CC’s voice. I’ve had to face the hard truth lately, well, really, when Tanith fussed at me, that he did and is still doing everything he can for me, even from the beyond. I can let my emotions overrule me every time he comes to me. Or…I can accept the fact that his and Elementra’s hands are tied, and they’ve done everything they could to keep me safe and get me here.

“Tell it what I want to see…okay. So set my intentions and tell it to show me something?”

“Tell it exactly what you want to it to show you. Do not give it options. The sight is not like the other gifts that will work seamlessly with you as you know. You must be firm with it, and even then, it’s stubborn on the best of days.”

Snorting, I smile softly.“Sounds familiar.”

“That it does, filia mea, that it does.”

His presence leaves me once again, and I sigh.

This is another hard truth that’s plagued my mind since Oakly’s rescue. I’ll never be able to just have a casual conversation with the man who wasmore of a father to me that my own for a large part of my life. I’ll never be able to just call him up in my mind or otherwise and tell him about my day or ask him about his. The only time I’ll be able to hear his voice is when there’s something I need to know.

I’m so grateful for that, and I’ll cherish the information he gives me, but damn, what I wouldn’t give for one more teasing conversation, inside joke, training session. Anything really.

Gripping the blanket beneath me tightly, I regulate my breathing once again and clear my mind of those sad thoughts. I focus on what he just told me to do, and I ground myself in the belief that I’ll be able to.

Peering at my wobbling reflection in the mirror, I nod to myself. Start with something easier but just as important.

Show me the families betraying us.

The second I lower my block, the sight takes hold.

Gathered around a table, five females pass around a parchment, talking frantically amongst themselves as a swarm of men behind them speak in much quieter voices. Counting them out quickly, there’re twenty.

The five families.

“I just can’t believe this. Why are we pushing out a ball because the heirs have met their so called Primary? It makes no sense at all.” One of the females scoffs, tossing the parchment to the woman beside her.

“It’s tradition to announce when a royal has met their true Primary, Kellie. You know this as well as I do. And knowing Aurora, she’ll want time to plan something grander for the girl,” another answers.

Kellie…Kellie…why do I know that name.

Shit.

Everglow. Gima’s mom.

“Well, it’s a little showy if you ask me.” Kellie hisses.

“Why? Is it because you had high hopes for your daughter to be paired with the boys? How is her retreat going anyways?” one of the men asks. His deep tone is laced in disgust and everyone in the room senses it as they fall into tense silence.

“Enough. It’s been decreed. Let’s carry on with the meeting,” another man barks and everyone shifts around nervously. “We called this meeting today…”

No, no, fuck, wait.

With all the power of the gift I possess, I snatch on to the fragments of the vision, but it doesn’t matter. The sight kicks me out just as easily as it allowed me in, and I growl as I come to fully.

Staring once again at my reflection rather than that crowded table.

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