Page 188 of Gift from the Source
Then he groans darkly.
He stomps toward me with a fierce scowl and grips my throat. With far more gentle movements than what’s pouring off him, he tilts my head back.
I swallow roughly.
“I know this night has been one extreme to the next for you and I’m sorry it’s all happening so fast. I don’t have time to talk you through any of it or even make sure you’re okay,” he says softly as he lays his lips to the corner of my mouth. “But I need you to get it together. Right fucking now. I can’t lose you. I refuse to lose you. So I’m begging you, Primary, pull yourself out of your mind.”
The sheer desperation paired with the command has me straightening my shoulders. The more his thumb runs soothing circles on the pulse in my neck, the more the dizziness in my mind gives way to clearer thoughts.
I close my eyes and exhale deeply. I command everything within me to balance itself out.
“Good, sweet Willow. I’m taking Keeper to the forest. Make your call,” he orders low, finally laying his lips to mine.
The forest…the creatures.
Oh Elementra.
“Now, Primary,” he commands once more before shadowing out.
Right.
Call my brother.
By the third ring, my knuckles turn white with how tight I’m gripping my communicator. If his ass doesn’t answer by the fifth ring, I swear I’ll transport into his bedroom and stand over him.
“Little dragon, someone better be dead.” His groggy voice causes a lump to form in my throat.
“Lyker…” I trail off. He was so pumped just hours ago about how later this morning we’d be making our own plans to attack the Mastery. Clearing my throat, I order, “Full scale protocol. Get to the Central foyer.”
“You’re serious?” he says with more awareness than he had a second ago.
“Unfortunately.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he barks, then hangs up.
The reality of how he easily jumped from big brother to soldier makes my heart bleed.
My family is prepared for war.
Elementra be with us.
A hand wraps around the back of my neck and Tillman’s element glides across me. The weight of the clothing at first is so heavy, I’m afraid I’ll have to tell him this isn’t going to work, then it seals to my body like a second skin.
It’s different than any E.F. uniform I’ve seen. Even theirs.
My fingers graze over the different textures and the reality of why that is clicks immediately.
“You all made this together.”
“We did. Oakly, Aria, and Aunt Rory have a uniform like this as well. Made by their Nexuses,” Tillman says seconds before he’s coating himself, Corentin, and Draken in uniforms as well. It’s then I realize Cas’s all black attire isn’t just a uniform but his shadows solidifying to his body.
The same material covers my sides and back.
Protecting me with the darkness.
“Let’s move. Everyone will make the five-minute arrival time. We need to be there first,” Corentin says and they surround me.
Five minutes. That’s all the time it takes to call in our family.
