Page 99 of Gift from the Wing

Crumble the deception inside the disguise,

reveal her truth for my mind to find.”

Gasping, my mind opens up and the block that sat between the two of us shatters into thousands of pieces. The rush of her bond filling my chest cavity has a harsh sob burning its way up my throat.

Pushing myself through her mind, I can tell she’s unconscious. I rip away the murky fog that seems to sit on her awareness like a sheer curtain and I cover my mouth with my hand as I feel her startle awake.

“Oakly, it’s me. Please tell me you hear me,”I beg.

“Willy…”she mumbles and the drugged-induced slur stabs me in the gut.

“It’s me. I need you to wake up fully, Oakly, at least mentally. Can you do that for me, please?”

“I…my eyes won’t move.”

“It’s okay, everything’s going to be okay. Do you hear me? I’m coming for you, I promise.”

I try my hardest to keep my tone level when really, I just want to bawl my eyes out. Her broken, confused speech sends panic washing over my body until it’s hard to hold myself up.

The long pause she takes has my heart racing and my beast prowling in my chest. I need her to talk. I need her to breathe. I just need her to tell me she’s okay, even though I know she’s not.

“Don’t. Don’t fall back asleep, Oakly, please,”I beg when I feel her mentally drifting again.

“It’s…so hard. I’m so heavy…so hot,”she stammers.

“I know. I’m so sorry. Nikoli and Jamie are here. They’re safe. We’re coming for you. I’ll find you. I’ll track you. I swear. Please, please hold on.”

“No tracking.”

“Don’t say that. I swear I’m fucking coming. Do you understand me?”I yell, the defeat in her voice causing me to lose my composure.

“Don’t have to track. I’m in…Pyra.”

Her words fade out with her subconsciousness, and I bellow her name through our mental link to try to pull her back to me. Nothing works as I feel her slip further into the darkness and panic grips my heart. She’s been given something far stronger than the immobilizing drug and I don’t have much time.

I was freezing when I was drugged, not hot. I only started sweating when they tortured me. What drug could—

No. The heat. She’s hot.

Pyra.

My vision.

Pure white-hot fear consumes me as I shove myself to my feet, staggering as I try to take a step. After the second failed attempt to walk, I command my shadows to engulf me. I move through the thick stone walls as if they’re paper and burst through to the command room.

“She’s in Pyra,” I practically scream as all eyes turn to me.

Everyone stops moving and stares at me as though I’ve surely cracked now. Their softening gazes have my body heating with rage, and forcefully, I shove my mind into every last person in the room. Replaying everything that just happened outside.

“I said, she’s in Pyra. We need to move.”

I’m proud of the firm, steady command in my voice although my body sways harshly. Between the amount of magic I’ve used in the last few minutes to the overwhelming fear consuming me, I’m minutes from hittingthe ground.

In less than the blink of an eye, my men surround me and Caspian latches onto my arm, pressing a healing vial to my lips.

“She’s inside of Pyra. Not meaning she’s in the lava, but that’s where they have her concealed. From this moment on, assume to know nothing of the inside of the volcano. It’s been manipulated now to be a Mastery structure. Uncle Roye, I need teams of your strongest earth and water elementals. Debrief them for what we’re doing. We’re moving out in fifteen minutes. Once there, Willow is going to identify the best way to infiltrate using her sight. We’ll be blind going in. That’s the best and all we’ve got for now. Go get ready,” Tillman orders.

His full-fledged leader mode settles the warring worry and panic inside of me, and I suck up everything I can. Pairing that with my dragon’s battle-ready determination, I let the emotions of the two of them blanket me in an impenetrable armor. Mix that in with Caspian’s and Draken’s bloodthirsty rage and Corentin’s cold detachment, I basically disassociate myself…well from myself.

---