Page 174 of Gift from the Wing

If I thought torturing Oakly’s parents would make her happy, that’s where I’d take her.

“That wouldn’t make me happy,” she says sternly, eyeing herPerfecta Anima—whoreally drew the line about torture—then she cuts that glare back to me. “I have to continue trying, Caspian. We have a week, one, singular, until we go check on the portals, and I don’t know what the fuck I’m supposed to check. No other book in here has provided the answers either, so it has to be in here.”

She shakes the bound leather at me as if that’ll sway what I just said.

It won’t.

If she keeps it up, I’m going to take it and hide it.

Her eyes widen in shock before narrowing once more and the sassy little creature puts her hands on her hips, daring me to try.

“I won’t be falling for your whims and attempt at seducing me, Primary. We both know I’d get plenty of pleasure pinning you down while I take that book from you.”

Her cheeks blush a shade of crimson that could rival the vampire’s eyes and I lick my thumb, then flip my page, ignoring the lust now pumping in my chest.

Naughty, distracting little thing.

“Tell me what you’ve learned about the five families,” I say, closing the book in my hand so I can focus on her, and she can focus on something other than her mom’s book.

Huffing, she stomps over to me and plops down in my lap, leaning back until my shadows pull us as close together as possible. She should know better by now that her sassy attitude does nothing but bring out my sarcastic side. We can go around and around all day for all I care.

“I’m not trying to be sassy. I’m just frustrated. I’ve read through the book Aurora gave me, multiple times now, and it all fits together, plus explains being a true Primary perfectly. I don’t understand why this isn’t working.” She sighs, completely relaxing into me. “Maybe I’m not supposed to read what’s in it, or this isn’t another little tidbit that’s been left for me. Maybe it was my mom’s diary and Lyker just found it. No hidden message or anything in there I need to know.”

The disappointment in her tone this time is for a completely different reason. She wants to get into the book just to have a piece of her mom. She was hoping to get a little closer to the woman she never got to know.

“Or hear me out, it’s not time for you to get in the book. Just because Corentin said it was time, doesn’t make it so. You of all people should know everything happens when it’s supposed to,” I say softly into her hair.

I hate giving anyone false hope. Especially her.

My words feel like the truth, though, as they flow freely with barely any thought given to them. No matter how fucking ugly, trying, hard, and catastrophic it may be on the way there, everything surrounding us happens just when it’s meant to.

She hums softly, nestling even deeper into me. “I hope you’re right.”

“I know I am. Now, the five families. Go.”

“Ugh, fine. The obvious traitors, the Everglows of Pyrathia. The council Primary is Kellie Everglow. I swear I remember all the men’s names for all five Nexuses, but I couldn’t care less to say them all right now, although I did take special interest in Gean Everglow, Gima’s father.”

My chest rumbles with laughter at the disdain in her tone. I’m sure she did take an interest in the man who was promising his daughter and the bitch who raped me, Nexuses made of us and her best friend’s men.

“Next, the Drover family of Terian. They seem like a rowdy bunch, and I was shocked to learn that the entire Nexus is a mixture of shifters. I mean, nothing wrong with that, but I had it in my head they were like Layton’s parents, where they all were different reptile shifters, not completely different species. And Tris, the Primary, being a bunny with a Nexus full of predators and a son for a predator was even more surprising. I don’t believe they’re the ones betraying us, though. I think if they were, they would’ve been involved with the Terravile ordeal.”

Sound reasoning but not disqualifying anyone yet.

“Don’t let the bunny fool you. She’s highly trained, strong earth element, and has a mean tongue when she wants to use it,” I tell her.

“I got that from my vision. She spoke softly to Kellie, but her eyes showed no sign of submission or weakness.”

“How about the Central?”

“The Gale family. They’re the closest with Aurora and her men because of location and Vicki, the Primary, is close to hers and Tilly’s ages, only a few years older. I don’t believe it’s real friendship from the way Aurora spoke. Just more convenience and it was pushed on her by her mom. They’ve never had any children, but they still have fifty years, give or take. Also, according to Corentin’s detailed notes and Aurora, Vicki likes to talk. So much so, her men don’t. No secret is safe with her.”

“She gets on my last nerve. I haven’t seen her in years, but even when I was younger, I couldn’t stand to be in a room with her very long.” I chuff.

Catty chatterbox that one is.

“Corentin said the same, but he pretty much said that about all of them, so I sweep them all into the same pile. Aside from the obvious.”

“The Aeradora family?” I ask, although I know she knows. She’s studied plenty on them all, especially since her vision, but this is a helpful distraction for her.

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