Page 94 of Gift from the Wing

“We’ll tell you as soon as you promise me that. We aren’t trying to hide anything from you. We just wanted to be more prepared before telling you what’s happening, but since that’s not going to be the case now, you have to listen to me. Put your emotions away, Willow,” he commands gently.

She takes multiple breaths, trying to calm the erratic rise and fall of her chest. She slams her eyes shut, just as I had done, as she clenches her fistat her side. We give her all the time she needs and fuck me, I wish it took longer for her to collect herself than it does.

In just a few seconds, she’s opening those deadly silver eyes that are crystal clear and focused, ready for whatever news we’re about to share.

At her nod, Caspian pinches his lips together. Pulling his shadows back, the four of us part for her to come stand in the center of us.

The second she’s between us, I feel her flinch as her eyes land on Jamie and Nikoli.

“Oakly…” she murmurs.

The sound of her voice has Nikoli’s head whipping up toward her, and fast as lightning, he’s on his feet, coming to stand in front of her.

“Willow, I need you to track her. Please find her. I can barely feel her now,” he begs, gripping onto her hands. We attempt to move him away from her because in his own worry and panic right now, he doesn’t see her storm rising to the surface.

“Nikoli, what happened to my sister?” she asks.

Eerily calm.

“We were drugged at breakfast. They took her, Ry, and San, her parents. I don’t know where they are.”

She staggers back from him as though he’s burned her, and she tries to catch her breath. The battle that just began raging in her is obvious. Just as fast as that calm demeanor came, it vanishes with that news. We all try to reach out and grab her, but she crashes down faster than we can.

The moment her knees hit the ground, the grass splits open and the fissure travels its way through the forest in front of us. Although we can’t see it, we hear the limbs breaking apart like bones snapping and we feel the vibrations in the earth as the trees are uprooted. They hit the forest floor with deafening thuds that make my chest pound in sync.

Falling to my knees in front of her, I lock my gaze on her now purple irises. They aren’t slits, so I know it’s still her in there, but barely. Just fucking barely. There’re no sobs falling from her chest or tears streaming from her eyes, but the flames burning in their depths are brutal.

Deadly.

“Come back to me, little warrior. We’re right here. We’ve got to get down to the bottom of this and begin searching for them. You have to be in your right frame of mind to find her. She needs you right now. I need you,”I whisper as I grip her cheeks.

I need her. My best friend needs her.

Her body startles underneath my hands and a small silver ring forms around her pupils, but that’s as far as the color travels. The deep, drawn-out exhale that fans my face is strong enough to nearly blow me over, but after it’s finished, I know I have her back.

“I’ll find them. I’ll find them for us. I swear.”

“I know you will, little warrior. I know you will.”

Her features close off from me. From everyone. She drifts deep inside of her mind, and the fear pumping through her chest is strong enough to take my breath away.

I don’t dive in her mind, but I know she’s reliving what she’s already been through.

“Draken, get her to the compound command room,” I say softly while kissing her head and pulling her to her feet. She doesn’t so much as blink as I pass her into his arms, and we all share a look. “Go. I’ll be there in a moment.”

“You, healer,” I bark as soon as Draken transports out. “What’s going on?”

“Immobilizer drug. A hefty dose,” he grunts.

“Get him moved to the command room now. Call in another healer and someone get Rich a healing vial. I want word if anyone shows up at any of the palace gates. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” the entire group echoes.

“Core, go get the rest of your parents. Cas, go find Keeper and Gaster. Meet at the command room,” I order, pulling my communicator out.

In the blink of an eye, they’re gone, followed by the small group of E.F. members, along with Nikoli and Jamie.

“Tillman, I didn’t—”

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