Page 23 of Gift from the Source
She blows out a steady breath as he lets her face go, and she grips Oakly’s and Gaster’s hands tightly before turning to us. We know we don’t have time to comfort her the way we want to, but collectively, we surge her bond.
“What’s the new plan, princess?” Corentin asks.
Originally and after discussing the proper storage of blood with Jamie, we anticipated to find vials of it. We also assumed we’d be in Elementra when we found it, and Will wanted to release it into the earth.
We had planned for her to open a hole right where we found it and deposit it there. If that wasn’t going to work, we discussed her and Caspian using their shadows to move it, or hell, we’d carry it out if need be.
The sheer volume we’re seeing now, I haven’t the first idea of how we’ll get this back to Elementra. Nor can we destroy it here. If she were to release it now, we’d be swept away in a river of red and I don’t think she and Caspian can carry all this in their shadows then hold it while we move realms.
“I’m not sure. I don’t even know where to start,” she says as she walks over to the wall and lays her hand softly against a jar.
“Do you still want it in Elementra, child?” Gaster asks.
“That’s what I’d like. I’ve had the gut feeling it needs to be returned to Elementra, but this…this is an overwhelming amount of blood.”
Gaster and Keeper share a long look with one another that has my gaze bouncing back and forth between them. They can’t speak to one another mentally, but their glances scream they’ve already discussed whatever it is they’re about to announce.
“We can move it for you, Adored, if that’s what you still want. We will make it possible,” Keeper says.
“How?”
“I have multiple pocket dimensions. Keeper can command the blood in one of them that’s not used,” Gaster says.
“You two planned for this. You created another dimension just for this,” Caspian says calculatingly as he stares between the two of them.
“Not this exact scenario, but yes, we discussed the possibility of there being a chance the blood would need to be transported farther than we were going to be able to do with our hands or gifts,” Gaster says.
“And why didn’t you share this plan with us?” Corentin asks.
“He had a gut feeling but didn’t want to speak it into existence or upset me, so he only coordinated with Keeper. It’s fine and works outfor the best for now. Let’s hear the plan, please,” Will says, pleading with her eyes for Corentin to drop it.
“You read his mind?”I’m surprised by her invasion of his privacy. I mean, I’m not above that, but she usually holds herself to a much higher standard than I do.
“No, he just told me so I wouldn’t be mad with him. If there’s anything any of us have learned, these gut feelings aren’t random or coincidental. The two of them were the best to organize this. The rest of us would’ve been emotional over the possibility. We all know that.”
Unfortunately, she’s right.
If we had considered this amount of blood to be a realistic possibility, we would’ve planned emotionally rather than strategically.
“Gaster will open his pocket dimension and I will flow the blood in. Just as I moved your blood into Oakly, I will do the same now,” Keeper says.
“I’d like to help some way.”
“Of course, child. Your signature is already ingrained into the dimension. All my dimensions. You can help me open it.”
“Then you can use your water or air element to help me direct the flow,” Keeper tacks on.
Obviously, she was at the forefront of their minds when they came up with this, and her shoulders relax at the inclusion.
“The rest of us will step out. Scout the house. Dec, Xander, Carrington, go pack what you want or need,” Ry commands, ushering everyone out, and I give him an appreciative nod, while Lyker and Aria hug Willow.
“Shit,” Oakly mumbles, causing her and Will’s bodies to tense up in their embrace.
“What’s wrong?” Willow asks, turning in Oakly’s arms to see what she’s staring at. “Fuck me.”
Following their line of sight, my eyes widen as they land on the relic in the corner of the room that Xander warned us about. It’s encased in a glass box, sitting on a stand. It’s obvious why they’d say it was evil.
The globe itself glows, but the swirling black smoke within it looks poisonous. Deadly. The purpose of it pulses around us, warding you away from it naturally.
