Page 66 of Gift from the Source
Willow
Contrary to previous statements I’ve made about how time moves slower in Elementra, the past few days have come and gone in the blink of an eye.
We’ve barely been able to breathe.
The morning after our adventurous day, I declared we had to go to the Forsaken Forest and close the portal there. Cas surprised all of us by declaring we leave it open. His hunch is if the Summum-Master goes to the nonmagical realm, it’ll be wasted time for him, time saved for us.
When asked, Keeper confirmed there are handfuls of vampires in the forest that respect who he still is even outside of their realm. They’ll tell him anything he asked about the Summum-Master’s movement.
So we went with Cas’s plan.
For the past six mornings, he’s shadowed Keeper to the forest to check everything out, then taken him to the academy to be with Draken. After that, he spends every waking moment combing through every book, scroll, and journal he can get his hands on.
He’s looking for something, but what, he hasn’t shared yet. I know Dillon and Pran are on his list of things. The split between betrayal and loyalty is driving him mad, but he’s not going to make a move until he knows more.
My dragon man and Corentin have been at the academy all day, every day figuring things out for Carrington, Layton, and all the other students. Draken spends his day between learning how to teach from Vince, helping the boys, and helping Tillman with the non-wolf shifter E.F. members since the wolves have officially moved to the Terravile Pack lands.
Corentin still has to be the Headmaster and all that entails. Plus, he’s working with Lyker on plans for his new academy.
With everything going on, the academy itself hasn’t broken ground, but space has been made for the new wolves, and training starts tomorrow for those who were already in the E.F. and for those who want to join. New or younger wolves will step in once the academy is open.
Tillman’s been bouncing between the academy and the palace compound nonstop. When I asked why the sudden upped ante on training between the two places, he mentioned he and Theo have modified the full-scale protocol. Which apparently requires additional training and preparation across all the E.F. stations, not just those two.
Oakly and Gaster have been studying the relics we brought back with us like they hold all the answers. She’s finally allowed him to look in her book and I’m pretty sure that’s made her the favorite granddaughter.
He’s confident there’s more to the Gods Binding than we can even imagine and that’s driving him crazy.
I’ve been bouncing between everyone. Helping wherever I can, with whatever I can.
I start my day by checking all the portals just to be on the safe side. Not only that, but I relish the connection to my family and Elementra every time I do it. Each time I ground my bloody hands into the earth, the energy that thrums through me is indescribable. For a brief, fleeting moment, everything feels right, and it’s become my morning routine that I look forward to.
Regardless of that, it’s all been exhausting, to say the least. None of us can shake the feeling that time’s speeding up and we can’t slow down.
We know we’ve set things in motion. We’ve been doing that ever since we rescued Keeper from the forest, but every time we do something else big, it seems the hands on the invisible clock spin faster.
The anxiety increases more daily because of the lack of retaliation. Not that we’re hoping for someone to get attacked, or something else horrid to happen, but the silence is telling.
From an outsider’s perspective, it looks as though the realm has found a sense of peace. While to us, it has us on eggshells. We tiptoe around while waiting for something to blow up. There’s an aura around all of us that won’t allow us to take time to relax or take a break.
The only Nexus that has been an exception to that has been Trex, Codi, Dec, and Xander. That was simply because I put my foot down with the guys and told them to give them a few days to get reacquainted and settled. Just because we can’t enjoy some downtime doesn’t mean we shouldn’t allow someone else the opportunity.
Especially with what all they’ve been through.
That ends today apparently.
This morning, Gaster, Oakly, and I are making a new secret room to move the relics into. Then after that, Tillman declared we have a sit down with the new members of our group, find out all we can, and set something else in motion. Whether that means going on the offense like we previously discussed and start hunting down Mastery compounds, or maybe they tell us something that sparks a new idea.
Something’s better than nothing, according to the guys.
That ‘better than nothing’ comment hurt although I know it wasn’t directed at me or intentional.
I’ve asked, prayed, for my sight to show me what’s to come. It hasn’t shown me anything, but a newer development in our relationship is, it stirs in my mind when I call for it. It’s like a gentle nudge telling me that it’s there and will eventually show me what I need to see.
“It will, filia. The way none of your minds silence is baffling to me. I thought it was just Draken, but it’s all of you. Exhausting,”V says as he perches himself on my shoulder.
The other newest addition has been both a comical and enlightening surprise. He’s just as much of a smart-ass, funny and intelligent as Tanith, but he’s much more secretive. He, to my disappointment, lives by the code of guiding and doesn’t give answers unless the right questions are asked.
I haven’t been asking the right questions obviously.
