Page 168 of Gift from the Source
Waves begin to lap up from the pool and pour over into the grass surrounding it. My breathing syncs with the thrums that continue to growstronger and I’m practically panting from the power as color starts to spread across the water.
The glowing blue blooms to life.
Wind wipes my hair behind me as though the portal is yawning after waking from its long nap. A surprised laugh bubbles out of me, and I turn my head to V, smiling.
“Very, very good, Ultima unum. It has been such an honor to witness you,”he says softly as he lifts his claw and steps into the water.
My smile softens.“Thank you for everything, V. I really hate goodbyes.”
“Good thing this is not that then,”he says before fully submerging himself under.
My chest rises and falls rapidly as it doesn’t even look like he really went under. More so sucked through to the other side. The water swirled faster than the wind, then abruptly stopped.
“Close them, princess,” Corentin says softly behind me.
Right.
Shifting my finger once again, I draw the Nexus mark the opposite way.
Closing my eyes, I push my hand elbow deep into water this time and picture the other side. I imagine the warm air blowing from the hot spring and the way that grass would feel flowing across my fingers.
I nearly jerk my hand out when the smallest of tickles touches my palm, but I hold steady. The thin blade of grass wraps around my finger.
A chuckle bubbles out of me when the touch of grass is replaced with soft feathers that nuzzle across the top of my hand. A little pressure is added from the embrace, and I take V’s guidance, allowing him to lead my fingers down to the earth.
I sense no difference in the texture of our dirt and theirs, but the difference in power within the earth is obvious.
Both are incredibly strong. Just different.
I dig my hand in further, the drip of my blood slides down my fingers and a little shock passes through me.
The lands recognized that I’m there.
Detect them.
“Passages through time and space, show me your travels through this blessed place.”
Just the same as when I did this in the nonmagical realm, the difference between a closed portal and an open one is vast. The first pulse to hit me isn’t gentle. It’s an electric shock that has me humming as power flows through my body.
Repeatedly, I suck in sharp breaths as the vines of my blood search the realm for more portals.
Even if my mom only traveled here once, it seems the women before her came more frequently. There’re nearly as many open portals here as there were in the nonmagical realm.
This being the second time tonight I’ve been pumped full of power, it’s starting to overwhelm my system. Thankfully, this time, though, it feels natural. Like home.
Not like death.
The tell sign that I’ve reached the end of the Valorian Veil thrums across my skin in consistent vibrations. No more shocks or pulses pound through my fingers and I take a deep breath.
“A place given by the essence of my being. Through time and through space, close the travel to their desired place.”
A grunt falls from my lips as the force of the connections slams into me. I hang my head as on the other side my hand locks into the ground.
I brace myself as I know what’s to come as the vibrations begin to intensify.
Portal after portal slams shut as my blood races back to me through the earth. The connection pulls tighter as the threads of power reach the end of their retreat.
“Until next time, V,”I whisper as I feel the last of the lines closing in.
