Page 71 of Gift from the Source
“Well…” I say as I perch my hands on my hips and turn in place. “Time to get it decorated and move some deadly relics in.”
“I don’t understand why we must feed and entertain people just to get information out of them. It’s a waste of time,” Cas complains as he plops down in a chair at the patio table.
“I don’t understand why you must put all our new friends through interrogations. You know, it’s just conversation over dinner,” I say sarcastically as I sit myself in his grumpy lap.
Corentin leans down and kisses me on the forehead before taking his seat beside us. “I figured it would be nice to actually eat at a table, with hot food, friends, and our entire Nexus rather than scarf down what Chef brings up to the room.”
“So we had to come to the mansion, extend the table, have Chef come here, and whip up some extravagant meal all for a friendly chat?”
“Enough, Cas.” Corentin sighs, causing me to laugh.
Which earns me a squeeze on my hips.
“If you’re really not in the mood for company, we don’t have to do this. We can just go to their house and talk, then leave,” I say as I lean back into his chest.
His sigh ruffles my hair, and his shadows trace my arms. “It’s fine, Primary. They aren’t the worst bunch to be around. I’m just annoyed with the fact that I’ve been going around in circles for six days with nothing to show for it. Now I’m wasting time eating and sitting around when I could be doing something else.”
I feel bad for my dark and damaged protector, but at the same time, I have to hide my chuckle. I was the same exact way when it felt like nothing was going right for me. Mom’s book wouldn’t open, the sight wasn’t cooperating. I was frustrated and pissy about it.
He had to deal with the brunt of my attitude and now the tables have turned.
“You’re not wasting time. You’re spending time with me and your brothers. We’re going to learn how the illusions around the Summum-Master work. Which is something and could lead to more. Also, it was a productive day, and we have something to show for it. Gaster, Oakly, and I got the new pocket dimension opened and the relics moved in. Look at everything from a group standpoint, not an individual one.”
“Yeah, listen to our drop-dead gorgeous and genius Primary, shadow man. It was a good day,” Draken purrs as he leans into me, causing V to hoot loudly and fly off his shoulder.
His kiss ignites me from the inside out and my smile lingers against his lips. I’m obsessed with how happy he is every day. It’s so different than the cheery charade he used to put on for the realm to witness. Now it’s genuine happiness and I can’t get enough of it. It’s a ray of sunshine against the metaphorical cloud that seems to be looming over us.
“I am listening to her, dragon,” Cas groans just as Tillman pops in with our company and Oakly’s Nexus as well.
I shake my head and press my lips to his cheek before hopping up from his lap to greet our guests. It’s barely been an hour since we finished setting up the pocket dimension and getting the relics safely secured inside, but still, after Tillman showers me with affection, I move to Oakly.
There was a moment where it felt like the realm turned dark when we brought out the Gods Binding and placed it in a case much like the one we found it in. She stared at it so hard, I thought the glass now surrounding it was going to explode.
She and Gaster swear it’s not supposed to react like it is, but the information in her book isn’t pointing to why that is. It left a chill across my skin that I’ve barely been able to warm away.
“This is the house that was in your dream,” Dec says, looking over my head as I approach him, Trex, Codi, and X next.
“Yep. We call it the mansion. This is our home.”
“I thought you all lived at the palace?” X asks.
“We do, but this is home too,” I say, ushering them over to the table.
The seats quickly fill with our crowd. My whole Nexus, Oakly’s, Trex’s, plus Gaster and Keeper. Tanith and V are a few feet away on the lawn. We’re just missing Aria, my brother, and his brothers. Well, and Aurora and my other fathers-in-law…
Damn, every time I list them all out, it really does show how much of a crowd it is.
“Well, it would seem you all are ending our vacation. So let’s get on with it. X is going to explain the illusion around the Summum-Master and Dec will explain what he’s been having to do in dreams,” Trex announces as soon as we all get comfortable.
“Still an asshole, I see,” Tillman says.
“Not an asshole. I’d just rather not beat around the topic at hand. Then I’d like to eat. We don’t cook or get fed as good as this at the academy or when we were at the palace compound. Apparently, you lot have the best chef in Elementra.”
“We most certainly do,” Corentin says smugly with a big-ass grin on his face.
“We’ll talk, then eat and we appreciate you telling us everything you can,” I say sweetly, then wrap my shadows around Caspian.
I’m ninety-nine percent certain he was about to tell them they don’t have a choice. Which I mean…they really don’t, but someone in our group has to be the nice and understanding one.
