Page 209 of Gift from the Wing

“You’re really that excited to be finally getting my answers, huh?”

“You deserve them far more than I want them. But yes. It’s driven me mad for months now not knowing how it’s possible you do what you do, princess,” he says with a smile to match my own.

I catch a glimpse of Gaster’s tender look just before his long white beard begins shaking from laughter, joining the sounds of everyone else’s. Oakly is beaming at me, and happiness for both of us surges from my bond to hers. We both had major wins in the learning department of our day.

I can’t wait to tell them all everything.

“Oh shit, I forgot to tell you all what I was racing out here for. We don’t have any recon teams on the main portals to the Valorian Veil or Essemist Keep. Just at the assumed ones, but both of those will actually lead to the nonmagical realm.”

Well, that got everyone’s attention.

Twenty-Nine

Draken

What a day.

I shake my head down at my communicator as I quickly shoot off a reply to Vince and one to Layton. We were right in the middle of a lesson when Willow’s heartbreak speared through my chest.

The best I was able to growl out before transporting was ‘I got to go.’ I didn’t get or really try to explain anything else, and so they’ve both messaged me, concerned.

Corentin, Tillman, and I all popped into Uncle Oreo’s room at the same time, scanning the room for Willow. Oakly and Gaster were staring around, lookin’ alarmed, and Caspian was pacing anxiously.

When Corentin went to storm from the room to find her, Cas stopped him. Told him to give her a minute, that she was trying again to get into her mom’s book and to wait to see if she got it.

Us standing in there lasted all of ten minutes before his ass was the one to break first and shadow to the south wing. That was a torturous hour, waiting for her to emerge from the block her tree put up.

Since then, we’ve listened to the amazing story she had to share, followed by the plethora of information she now holds in her mind. It’s thecraziest shit I’ve ever heard, yet my dragon rumbled in my chest the entire time excitedly like he was witnessing his abilities unfold right in front of him.

Gaster and Keeper, since they’re the only two who’ve actually passed through the portals, told her all about their experiences.

Gas-man explained that he never used the one she was describing to get to the Valorian Veil, so he offered her a chance to take a little peek in his mind to see which he did use. She squealed and lit up like a damn Star gem as soon as she recognized it as one her grandmother had opened. Her elated laugh fell after that when he explained he had no clue at the time which realm he was getting ready to travel to, but he was doing it for the thrill.

I thought it was hilarious. Willow did not. She said she’s happy his mischievous days are over.

Her attention moved to Keeper after that, and he stated he used the main entrance. I guess in the Keep, there’re also several portals and entry points to places, but he and Tanith exited through a cave here like the one Willow described. He didn’t speak on it much after that. He got that faraway look in his eye. Willow immediately picked up on it and moved on. Or rather back onto the topic of her mom.

It’s a breath of fresh air, honestly.

She’s been glowing with more excitement in the last couple of hours than she has in the last few weeks.

I’m thrilled for her…

And jealous.

Sighing, beating myself up over the ridiculous envy I’m feeling, I slide my communicator into my pocket and lean back in my big-ass dragon chair. The paintings around my room make my beast purr happily in my chest, but my eyes and mind fixate on the one in the center of the bookshelves.

The majority of the people in this realm I consider as family are in that picture. There’re even two additions that I’m slowly but surely bringing into the fold—well, really one. I’ve already claimed Tanith. She can’t go anywhere.

And Keeper chips away at my resistance every single day.

Today was a big ol’ knock off the ice around my heart toward him. It was like he knew something was wrong. He didn’t say anything exactly straightforward, but when I left to come up here, get some space, clear my sad thoughts, he gripped my shoulder and said ‘me too.’

Now I have no clue what that me too was directed at, but I’ve summarized it to two things.

One he misses his mom.

Or he misses mine. And that thought has had me spiraling.

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