Page 96 of Gift from the Source
Shifting my claw, I press the sharp tip underneath my middle finger on my left hand and inhale.
Counterclockwise…
When my point meets back around, I hold steady for a second, then trace it back.
Clockwise…
Vibrations rumble through the amplifier room and the hum stays under my skin, begging for a release. The intense need to do something with the electricity building up grows quickly.
“Anytime, V,”I grunt.
“The surface you’re going to open your portal on is your forehead. Use your finger to draw the Nexus mark with the blood pooling in your palm. As you say your spell, I’m going to release the remaining hold on the Angel Aura. Prepare yourself. Once you finish the spell, your mind is going to be snatched through time and space. You will not be able to stop it. Are you ready?”
I grit my teeth and nod. There’s really nothing else I can do to prepare since my sight is wrapped around my mind, my magic is embedded in the tie of the Valorian Veil, and there’s blood all over one of my hands.
Here goes nothing.
Dipping my finger in my blood and raising it to my forehead, I ready my spell. Out loud, inElema Lingua Vetus, I say, “A passage created by the essence of my being. Through time and through space, deliver me from my desired place.”
A gust of wind strong enough to nearly knock me over whips through the amplifier room. The sound is so piercing I only catch a small piece of V’s squawk, then even my thoughts are drowned out.
My eyes dry out, then water all in the span of a millisecond. The tears drench my sight, but it doesn’t matter that I blink the water away.
My vision doesn’t clear.
All I see is a rainbow.
Everything in front of me has turned into a swirling kaleidoscope that sends my mind spinning at a nauseating pace. It’s like entering the south wing for the first time all over again.
Except it’s only my mind being tossed around this time.
Elementra, how long is this going to last?
Power not belonging to my creator seems to answer my question and the vicious rainbow stops.
My arms catch me as I sway harshly. If I hadn’t been sitting in the middle of my platform, I would’ve fallen right off the front and face-planted. I squeeze my eyes shut and take a few centering breaths to ward away the dizziness.
I’m not sure if this is a first-time experience side effect or not. If it isn’t, I have zero plans to do this again.
“It would seem the mortal saying ‘Saving the best for last’ is true then.”
The other-realmly voice that echoes around the amplifier room has me sitting up faster than I tumbled over. Reflected in the mirror walls is no longer the picture of myself, V, or the amplifier room.
At least not my amplifier room.
My gaze travels all over the woman sitting on a dais just like mine and Gaster’s description of the room she’s in registers immediately.
“You’re the Goddess of Fate.”
“And you’reUltima unum.”
Eleven
Willow
A silent stare-off commences as we both feast our eyes on one another.
A real-life goddess.
