Page 127 of Gift from the Wing

“I told the guys to give me just a little while and I’ll have the wing cleaned out for all of you. Tillman will come get and escort you when it’s ready,” Corentin says as he comes to my side and smiles down at Oakly.

“Wing?” she asks.

“We’re clearing out the east wing. That’s where you all will be staying from here on out. At least until we all return to the academy.”

Her wide eyes swing to her men, then to me, and I hide my snicker behind my hand. That was a piece of information I overheard, but I figured I’d let him tell her.

“I already told you, you’d be visiting me here. You didn’t seriously think we were going to let the five of you out of our sight, did you?” I ask teasingly.

“Holy shit,” she breathes. “I didn’t really think about where we’d be staying at all, to be honest, but the palace? We’re staying at the palace?”

“Staying isn’t really the word,Perfecta Anima.I give it a day and you and your entire Nexus will be moved in,” Caspian says sarcastically, although he’s not lying.

If I have it my way anyways.

She snorts, rolling her eyes at his tone, and I bite my lip to hide my smirk from them both. That’s until Caspian’s face grows more serious, and he steps closer to her side. I sense the shift in him, and I don’t have the slightest clue what it is he’s about to say or do.

“Oakly, I…” He pauses as her eyes grow to the size of saucers. Everyone’s in the room do, actually, and I hold my breath because that’s the first time he’s ever addressed her by her name. “I killed the man who injected you. He’ll never hurt you or anyone else again,” he says sincerely.

Her gaze softens as she looks at my dark and damaged protector, and my love for him bursts out of me before I can containit. He’s not a man of many words to people outside of our Nexus, but she knows, in his own way, he just publicly apologized to her.

“That puts you in spot number two,” she chokes out with a smile.

“Hey,” Corentin and Tillman shout, but Cas is all dark smirks when he looks over at Draken.

“I believe I can beat the dragon out.”

“We’ll see about that,” Oakly teases and the tears I’d been fighting to hold back flood freely.

It’s always been poking fun about her having favorites, although it most certainly started out that way. We agreed when we first started speaking through our mental link that she’d carry on her little joke of having my men compete for the top spot in her eyes even though she’d already deemed them all worthy by that point.

I could never pick a favorite of her men because they each balance her so perfectly and they’ve grown to be more than random guys in my life. Just as my men have become for her.

“We’ll be back soon,” Tillman says as he gives Ry and the others hugs, then ushers us out of the room. My eyes linger on Oakly for another moment until her men perch their asses on her bed, blocking her from my sight.

My feet feel like they’re being weighed down by stone as we make our way out into the hall, but I sigh happily when I see our research table’s already been cleared and cleaned up. Plus, there’s no one else out here. Leaving me alone with my men.

“What’s the plan, your highness?” I ask through a yawn as I lean my head on Corentin’s shoulder.

His steps slow as he wraps his arm around my waist and turns me until my chest is pressed into his. Of their own accord, my eyes flutter shut as he leans in and captures my lips in a sweet, lingering kiss.

When I peel my heavy lids open, I find him peering over my head rather than at me. From my left, Tillman steps closer and wraps his hand around the back of my neck, turning my head until his lips are locked on mine. The firm but gentle embrace is over just as swiftly as it started, and Draken closes in on the other side of me.

I was ready for the fiery intensity that’s all things him, but he surprises me with the softest, calmest of kisses he’s ever given to me. His shuddering breath leaves chill bumps across my skin when he buries his face in my neck for a quick second, then steps away.

“We’ll see you in a little while, princess,” Corentin says softly as the chill of Caspian consumes my back.

He gives me no time to ask any questions as his shadows engulf me, whisking me away from the rest of my Nexus. When he pulls his darkness away, hot water pelts down on his head from my shower head and the block he’s been holding in place so firmly slides away.

The instincts in me scream to go to him, wash it away, make it better. The need is so strong, my hands shake, but I hold my feet still and take him in from head to toe. This is the first moment I’ve had to truly observe him since we left him at that volcano to find the doctor. The others made sure to always be near me, and it helped alleviate both their and my worries.

Not my dark and damaged protector, though.

He’s been holding it all in for my sake that entire time. Now it’s crashing down right in front of me. Tillman told me Cas had himself under control. He looked in his eyes, but he was looking for the wrong thing. I see it clearly.

Yes, my man and monster are one and the same.

But the demons…They aren’t a part of the duo.

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