Page 86 of Gift from the Wing

“The vampires told the Summum-Master—”

“Coming in for a landing, ladies. Don’t squash the tiny humans,”Draken says cheerily and I wrap a tight leash around my bond, squeezing in any hurt I may feel.

“By tiny humans, you mean our Nexus?”I ask, trying to push out a teasing tone.

“Exactly. They’re so small from up here.”He laughs and I let the sound fill my heart.

“We will continue our discussion, young one. Or you may leave it up to the boys to figure out the rest of the answers,”she says, vaguely telling me she’ll tell me all I want to know, but it’s probably best to let them sort it out.

Shaking out my massive head when my claws touch dirt, I let my magic wash over me and take with it the worry of our conversation. As the bright light obscures my form, I tell myself repeatedly, one problem at a time. I’ll tell him when the time’s right.

For now, let’s focus on the Dream Walker who has some serious misguided hatred for me.

“Did you have a good flight?” Tillman asks as he wraps mein his arms.

“I did. It was the perfect amount of time to let my dragon spread her wings and not throw a hissy fit.”

“Too bad little flights don’t soothe my dragon. She’s still just as sassy,” Keeper says and Tanith bumps him with her snout, causing all of us to laugh. My dragon chuffs in my chest as if she’s offended, but it’s the truth. She doesn’t overrule or push as hard as Draken’s or Tanith, for the matter, but she sure as shit will annoy the hell out of me until I give in.

“Is he ready for us or does he need another minute?” I ask and my question silences everyone, causing the hairs on my arms to stand.

“Prepare yourself, Will. He doesn’t look good. He’s worse than he was the other day. It’s getting hard for him to keep food down and he’s incredibly weak,” Tillman says softly.

Turning to Keeper with pleading eyes, I ask, “Is there anything you can do for him?”

“He was adamant last time he wanted me nowhere near him. Understandably. But if he’ll allow it, there’s a way for me to help. The Soul Seer and I may be able to help him enough that he’ll be almost…normal. It’s completely up to him, though.”

“Again, the name’s Aria. I think he’ll give in this time. It’s not looking good, Willow,” Aria says sadly as she joins the group, and I immediately pull her in for a hug.

“Fortune teller,” Lyker says as I approach him next.

“Alphahole. Thank you both for coming,” I say, muffled as he squashes my face into his chest.

“Of course. Aria was insistent that she needed to come save the mind reader. Plus, I brought you something,” he says teasingly.

“You brought me something?” I ask excitedly as the guys begin herding us in the doors of the healing wing.

“Don’t sound too happy about it. I don’t even know what it is, but it looks important. I found it while I was rummaging through the house, trying to clean some stuff up.” He chuckles, but my hands freeze as I reach for the book he so nonchalantlytries to pass me.

I can’t even bring myself to grab it. My mom’s magical signature pulses off of it and a lump forms in my throat as I look at the bright silver engraving on the black front cover.

“You’re kinda freaking me out here, sis. Is it cursed? Should I not have touched it?” Lyker asks in a panic and my hand shoots out to clutch the book when he goes to drop it.

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not cursed. It…it was Mom’s,” I stutter.

Opening the first page, I startle at the first cream-colored page, and the next, then the next. I flip through the pages as my heart thunders wilder with every turn. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t for the pages to be blank.

Confusion contorts my face until I run my finger down the seam in the middle of the book and the enchantment attached to the binding gives me a small shock.

“She’s concealed the words inside,” I mumble.

“Figured as much, but I couldn’t get anything to reveal. I tried the reveal spell, untangling the enchantment, and my blood, but nothing worked.” I glance up at him and realize everyone, including myself, has stopped walking and is staring at us.

Giving them a tight smile, I close the book back and trace the Nexus mark that’s engraved on the cover counterclockwise just as she did to open the portal. A shaky breath falls from my lips as her magic calls to mine in my chest and the mark begins to glow. It’s over just as fast as it started, and I don’t have to open the book again to know the pages are still blank.

Clearing my throat, I give my brother a grateful smile as I open my pocket dimension. “Thank you for bringing this to me. I’ll let you know as soon as I get it unconcealed.”

“No worries, fortune teller. I have no doubt you’ll figure it out,” he says confidently, smiling and clapping me on the shoulder as we continue to walk down the hall once more.

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