Page 170 of Gift from the Wing

Like we just watched in his memory.

Slowly, I retract my arms from around his neck and crawl out of his lap until I’m sitting crisscross in front of him. He looks at me curiously until I lay my palms flat on the ground beside his.

“What do I do?” I ask.

Gracing me with a rare, full-fledged smile, his eyes shine with readiness and he transforms before me into the steadfast leader he is. Apart from the stern glare the E.F. members would receive.

“Close your eyes, little warrior.”

My lids fall shut to his command and my breathing instinctively tries to quicken when his hand presses to my chest.

“Breathe with me, follow my lead. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

Again, my body obeys him easily. I feel his heartbeat through the palm of his hand, strong and steady, and focusing on that solid thud, my breathing follows his tempo as well.

Long inhale.

Long exhale.

Repeatedly, we regulate our breathing in silence, and his presence in my mind lingers like a quiet companion, letting me get comfortable before giving me my next instructions.

“Feel the ground beneath your hand. Run your fingers through the moss. I want you to recall the times the earth has brought you good times.”

The cool moss tickles between my fingers and I let the softness lull me into a peaceful state.

Twisting some of the delicate texture together, the feel of the strands growing thicker reminds me of when I was laid out like a starfish in front of Gaster’s cottage after I created the dimension spell. I may have been wiped out, but twirling that grass around my fingers kept me grounded and elated by the fact I achieved what he set out for me. The power beneath the soil pounded against my back, replenishing me before my men got there to finish the job.

That same power thudded beneath my feet as I ran down the running trail from the guys when Tillman told me to run, and they were going to catch me. I even got distracted by a beautiful flower that I hadn’t seen out there before.

More and more meaningful times come to mind, and a smile permanently tattoos itself on my face as I recall every time I’ve either wielded the element and it’s brought me peace, or it just simply was there and groundedme. Like the many times I’ve just lain in the grass and let its strength hold me up.

“Good, Will. Now call your element out. Let it softly surround you in whatever comes to mind.”

My earth element flows through me, soft yet so strong.

When it glides out of my hands, ivy wraps around me in a gentle hug, and little blossoms of flowers spread out between the leaves.

“Now call forth your mind transference gift.”

Without a second thought, comment, or question, I call the gift to me and Tillman’s mind practically lays itself bare. The prideful praises, the sweet whispers, the gentle nudging and coaching. I hear it all.

“Very good, little warrior. Now we’re going to do this with every element and gift. Start with your air.”

And with every element and gift, I do just that, letting the peace and happiness each one has brought me flow through my blood.

My air dances around us in a playful breeze, while I shine like the sun cresting the trees in the early morning.

My water, the typically elusive element, rains down on us softly from a cloud of my shadows.

My fire dries and heats my chilled body just before scales replace skin in my partial shift. My dragon purrs softly and my violet eyes pick up on the light in the room that the darkness behind my lids conceals.

I don’t have to see to know the added brightness is Tillman’s aura radiating around him. I nearly feel it caressing my face.

Casting the metaphorical line of my magic out, I wrap it around each of my men, who are spread about in the palace, or well, I assumed they’d be spread out, but no. I don’t have to physically track them to know where they are.Lazing in my lounge.

This entire experience feels cleansing.

As each element and gift came out to surround me, then went back in, a layer of worry and stress fell away. So much so, there’re happy tears falling from my eyes as though my body just didn’t know where else to expel the release.

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