19. Nineteen

Nineteen

Draken

"Did you hear anything I just said?" Corentin asks me.

Nope. Sure didn't.

It's hard to focus on anything right now but my little wanderer. I can't take my eyes off where she's sitting on the edge of the pool by herself, dangling her feet. When we first left the Castle, she was so quiet, sitting in her silent relief. Then we got home and she said she just needed a little while to process everything. She's so, so strong. Stronger than I ever could've dreamed of being.

"No, sorry. What did you say?"

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose because this is probably the third or fourth time he's had to repeat something to me in the last few hours since we've been home.

"I said all of Rebel Castle has been evacuated and tomorrow morning we'll be moving the students out before our brief for the mission," he says, exasperated, and I know that was the condensed version.

I'm not sure why he's bothering telling me already when he's just going to have to repeat it again when Willow's done with her alone time. She'll want to know what's going on too. So he might as well just take care of whatever he's going to take care of, then tell us together.

Pushing myself out of my seat and stretching, I decide to go check on her and see how she's doing. I figured she was going to want about an hour on her own after what just happened, but it's been a couple of hours now and her alone time is making her question herself more than it should be. I can tell by the range of emotions that keeps fluctuating every few minutes.

"Where are you going?" Caspian asks me.

"Where does it look like?"

"Bad idea, dragon. Let her be for now," he says, not bothering to look up from the map of the forest. He has that damn thing memorized by now, yet he looks at it for at least an hour every day.

Of course I ignore what he has to say as I kick my shoes off and head toward the pool. I know my brothers mean well, and hell, she really might not care for my company right now, but I'm the closest to knowing what she's feeling.

Rodrick wasn't my father, thank fuck, but he did raise me for ten years. Ten very influential years and taking his life did a number on me, regardless of if I act like it or not.

Fourteen-year-old me tried to play it off for the guys, their parents, everyone else, but on the inside, I felt like the realm's biggest monster. How could I feel perfectly fine for taking his life? The answer was simple. I didn't feel fine. I hid it from everyone.

"May I join you?" I ask, walking up behind Willow.

"Of course you can," she says sweetly, shooting me a small smile over her shoulder.

Rolling my pants legs up, I sink down on the ground beside her and let my feet kick back and forth in the water with hers. I don't speak or try to crack a joke or do any of my typical ploys to make her smile or laugh. That's not what's needed right now.

"Are you okay?"

"Me?" I ask, shocked.

"Yes, you. You're being awfully quiet," she says with a small giggle.

The sound is still as sweet and mesmerizing as the first time I ever heard it. I'll never grow tired of it for as long as we both shall live and I can't help my small grin as I look down at her. How someone can be so selfless all the time is crazy to me, yet here she is. Facing threats, responsibilities, gifts out the ass, three of the four elements, and still, she's worried about me because I'm being quiet.

"You're not a monster, little wanderer," I say softly, feeling guilty as the smile melts from her face and her bottom lip trembles.

I fear for a second that I've crossed a line when she looks away from me. Her far-off gaze stares over the pool and across the open green space like she's looking for an answer opposite to what I just said.

"How can I not be when I feel so happy, so relieved that he's dead? I don't feel the slightest bit guilty that I just sentenced someone to death and barely blinked an eye about it. This was different than the people I've killed in the heat of a fight. They were trying to kill me. Or when I want to murder someone over one of you four. That's me being protective. He was just sitting there with no other choice. And I don't feel a lick of remorse over it. What does that say about me? Who I've become?"

The slow, lonely tear that tracks down her cheek breaks my heart, but I nod along even though she can't see me doing that because I understand completely. I know exactly what she's feeling.

"You know, little wanderer, when you told me ‘good for you' after I told you how I killed Rodrick, that was the first time in fourteen years I didn't feel like a monster."

"What?" she asks, turning her head rapidly to look at me.

"I've always felt like I was really and truly the monster so many in the realm think I am. Not only was I the only dragon flying in the skies, but I could also breathe fire, and I was in the Nexus of royal heirs. It didn't take people long to put together what I did to Rodrick.

"Momma Vito shut down all complaints and threats against me, but that doesn't mean I didn't hear it. I wasn't completely shielded from the slurs and comments that I should be put down as if I were a rabid beast." I pause, swallowing roughly.

"Draken…"

Shaking my head at her, I continue, "So many nights following that day, I cried myself to sleep, drowning in my guilt that came from not feeling guilty over what I did. Fuck, I felt like something was wrong with me. Being a monster was the only explanation because only a monster could kill someone and smile about it afterward. My mind warred with itself. Constantly. Finally, I just decided I was only going to be happy, cheery, nonstop. If I could prove to everyone else I wasn't a monster, then I could convince myself.

"There were times I felt better on the inside, then we'd come back from a mission and the E.F. members would give me a wide berth, or they'd look at me in fear. I'd laugh and joke, smile on the outside while my resolve was crumbling on the inside. I soon realized, in everyone else's eyes, I'm a monster no matter if I'm in skin or scales. They all knew a beast lived inside of me.

"After a while, I quit fully shifting at any mission, only resorting to partials. Still, nothing I did wiped the fear from anyone's eyes. Aside from the guys. From the moment we met in those woods, they had my back no questions asked. Their parents of course needed to know the story of what happened, but it's not like they told me what I did was okay. They told me I wasn't in any trouble. You were the first person to ever tell me what I did was okay, it was justified."

"You haven't talked to any of us about this," she says gently.

"No, I haven't. I didn't want to burden anyone with this. I've been trying to find a way to process it on my own or at least get to a point where I thought I could explain it properly. You saying what you said snapped something inside of me that first night we shared together, little wanderer. Yeah, I enjoy being the funny one, the happy one, the one who's more obsessed with you than the rest—"

"Draken." She snorts and I tug her closer to me so I can give her a kiss on her forehead, then continue.

"You basically told me it's okay to be myself. You set me free from the shackles I placed on myself. The ones I let the realm convince me I needed. Now I don't have to constantly put on a charade. I can be funny, over the top, whatever because I want to be like that, not because I still have something to prove to everyone. Rodrick deserved what he got, and I realized that and accepted that because of you. I wasn't a monster for killing him the way I did. I was just a child," I say, choking up there at the end.

"You were. You were just a child, Draken," she says as tears break free. I reach out gently with my fingers and wipe them away before cupping her cheeks.

"You were as well. I know the situation is different, and I can only compare mine to yours within means, but for what it's worth, you freed the realm of a real-life monster, little wanderer. He wasn't a wild animal that functions off instincts. He was a monster through and through. One that made conscious decisions to hurt innocent kids and people. You are not a monster, and it's okay that you don't feel guilty about what you did. There's nothing to feel guilty about and I won't allow you to sit around for years, suffocating in feelings that shouldn't be haunting you. I'm so proud of you for making such a tough decision."

It takes a while for the light to enter her eyes, but eventually, it does, and it's like staring into a river of rhinestones. Her gratitude pours off her in waves, and for the life of me, I wish she knew how much she's changed us, done for us, since she's been here. It's so far from one-sided, it's unbelievable.

"Maybe I should've eaten him. It would've been more dramatic." She sighs with a small smile.

"Nah, you handled it perfectly. Plus, that first time gives you quite a tummy ache. No sense in being miserable for a couple hours over digesting him."

She stares at me with a horror-stricken look on her face before we both fall apart laughing.

I'm being serious, though. The first time you eat someone sucks. It gets easier after the third or so.

"Thank you, Draken," she whispers after her laughter trickles off.

"Thank you, little wanderer."

Leaning my head down, I kiss her softly and let my love for her flood through our bond. I want her to know I didn't just say any of that just to say it. I meant every word wholeheartedly.

I get that it's a little ironic. A dragon that has a soft heart, humor for days, and more love to give than multiple people combined have for only one person, but that's the side of me I want to embrace willingly. I didn't get to have or express that growing up.

Those ten years working as a slave were lonely and…awful, to put it mildly. I got beat for crying, got beat for wanting a hug, got beat for asking for my mom. Talking eventually became a privilege I wasn't afforded. Yes and no sir were the extent of my allowed speech. Any form of comfort or affection was turned down and reciprocated in the form of punishment. I had to unteach myself all of that on my own when I met the guys and their family. I was too ashamed to admit everything I'd been through at first, and they talked to me so freely from the jump, I didn't want to seem like even more of a freak.

Willow has pretty much from the start been receptive to my touchy-feely tendencies and she has no clue the amount of healing that's brought me. With the guys, they were rarely okay with hugs, but letting the more playful, carefree side of me out with them was easier because our bond told me I'd always be safe, and I just wanted to feel accepted. And they accepted me fully.

So my personality isn't completely fake. It's definitely been exaggerated in order to fit in better, make people like me more, but I really do enjoy making people laugh, making my little wanderer blush, joking and making the guys uncomfortable from time to time. Now, though, if I don't want to act a certain way, I don't have to. Fuck the elite, the upper families, and their spoiled-ass kids. My brothers' and Willow's opinions are the only ones I care about now.

"Will you do something with me?" she asks quietly.

"Anything."

"Will you swim with me?"

My eyes widen slightly as I glance at the pool, then back at her. She's only been out here a handful of times, never gotten in farther than her feet hanging like now, and it's because of the fear that Deadman hiding put into her. If she's ready to conquer that, though, you're fucking skippy I'm going to do it with her.

"It'd be my pleasure," I purr, chuckling when her body shivers and breaks out in goose bumps.

Standing up, I hold my hand out for her to take, and instantly my body shivers when her earth element glides across the two of us and she laughs at her little play at revenge. I damn near tremble again when I look at what she's put us in, though.

Red matching bathing suits.

Be fucking still, my heart. She's so fucking perfect.

And so fucking sexy.

"You look amazing too. Red really is your color," she purrs and my eyes narrow in warning. She's playing a deliciously dangerous game.

Walking over to the naturally formed steps that lead into the pool, I take my time, slowly taking each stair, giving her a second to get her bearings as we make it to about hip deep water. Well, hip deep for me. It's already up to her waist.

I grip her hand firmly while I finish walking down the steps until my feet are on the bottom of the pool and I turn to face her. She's a little hesitant, but I feel her eagerness to do this. The perfection of this little oasis reminds her of her bathroom, so it's a hard temptation to keep passing up.

On the deeper side of the water, there's a large rock formation that provides shade and seats, and it's covered in vines, different kinds of ivy, and whatever other greenery Tillman's added over the years. He likes to fuss at me for jumping off the top of it, but I told him he made it resemble a cliff too much not to.

He's spent time slowly smoothing out the rock so there're no jagged pieces, and he hasn't admitted it, but I know it's 'cause that one time I sliced my foot open pretty bad. I've been trying to convince him to work on making a waterfall coming out of it, but he says it's not necessary. Blah, blah, blah. He just doesn't want to make me one.

I smirk, watching her as she slowly runs her fingers through the crystal-clear water, mesmerized by the colorful rocks on the bottom. Depending on the position of the sun, sometimes their sparkle shifts from sapphire blue to emerald green. Other times it looks like diamonds have just been spread across the whole pool floor.

The temperature is perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, and with the end of spring coming and summer fast approaching, this is going to be the perfect spot for her to laze around when we get our downtime.

"You ready, little wanderer?" I ask with a huge smile.

"You're going to carry me, right?" she counters, now looking a little panicked.

"Of course. I won't let you go until you're ready for me too."

At her nervous nod, I grip her around her waist and lift her the rest of the way in. She instantly tightens her legs around me and her arms pretty much put me in a chokehold.

"I've got you," I swear as I wade us through the water.

"It's ridiculous I can shift into a dragon, but a damn pool is about to be my undoing," she grumbles, loosening her tight hold merely.

"It's not ridiculous at all. I choked on one of those pastries Gaster makes that you and Oakly like so much once when I was like sixteen. The guys thought I was kidding, so they ignored me. Their uncle walked in and realized I was really choking, so he used his air element to suck it out of my throat and I haven't eaten one since."

"What? Is that why you always turn me down when I offer one?" She slings herself back to look at me and I scramble to catch her, making sure she doesn't slip through my hands and into the water.

"Yep. I know I could chew the whole damn thing now and not choke or could use my own element to get it down, but I haven't tried," I tell her.

Now that I say it out loud, it sounds silly as shit.

"Tell you what, little wanderer, you can feed me one tomorrow morning."

"No, Draken, you don't have to try one just to make me feel better."

"It's not to make you feel better. I mean, that's a plus if it does, but I don't want to keep depriving myself from something that I used to love from a fear of something that happened years ago," I tell her honestly. Fuck, I used to eat so many of those things Gaster would have to double up his batches just because of me.

I was daydreaming so hard about how fucking good those pastries used to be, I didn't realize Willow was staring right at me. The little twinkle in her eye and small tilt to her lip make my heart thud wildly in my chest. I love when she looks at me like she's about to devour me.

"What, little wanderer?"

"You know you're amazing, right?" I don't really know what to say to that, so instead, I attack her mouth. I let my tongue talk for me.

"Let's get you swimming," I murmur in her mind, not willing to break our kiss just yet.

I walk us around the pool like we're on a dance floor, flowing her weightless body through the water, and continue to kiss her until she relaxes more. She stays clinging to me for the next few minutes and as soon as our lips break apart, her whole attitude does a rapid one-eighty.

One minute, she's unsure. The next, she's saying fuck it and dunking herself under the water. It all happens so fast and she's out of my damn hands quicker than I realize what she's doing. To be honest, I freeze, uncertain of what to do, so then I panic and just snatch her back out of the water.

"Come on, dragon, swim with me," she says as she breaks the surface laughing, laying her hands across the stampede that's currently my heartbeat.

Before long, she starts doing back strokes across the pool like she was made for the water. We haven't ever talked about it in depth, but I have a feeling she used to love swimming, and what that cocksucker did to her that night really ruined what was once a favorite activity of hers.

It doesn't take much more after that and she's doing laps like a fish. Keeping pace with me easily. Honestly, I'm a lazy shit when it comes to my fitness compared to the rest, so it wouldn't shock me if she could keep this up far longer than I could.

"Can I ask you something?" she asks, launching herself at me.

I catch her easily and now that she's comfortable, I don't hold her in a death grip. My hands find their way to her ass while my body pins her to the side of the pool.

"You know you can ask me anything, little wanderer, so either what you want to ask is going to upset me or upset yourself."

"You know me too well, Draken," she says, shaking her head. "Do you get mad at me when my visions surprise us or change up basically the entire plan? Or I guess what I'm really trying to ask is, do you get mad at me for having to lie to all of you because of something I've seen?"

Huh, mad probably wouldn't be the word I'd use. At least not at her. Well, aside from that one time.

"Not mad. Concerned, worried, a little pissy at the whole situation, yes, but not mad. I wouldn't look at it as lying either, little wanderer. Even the day you lied to all of us about using your distress purr and said you didn't know you were doing it," I say, arching a brow in invitation for her to come clean.

Those silver eyes widen in surprise. Being caught up has a look and that's the one. She wasn't expecting me to call her out about it, and I wouldn't if the others were here in front of us. This is dragon business. Plus, I know now that was her way of testing the waters, knowing what was to come and already trying to work out a way for us to find her.

"You knew. That's why you got angry with me," she whispers.

"Of course I knew. Our dragons don't produce purrs by accident, little wanderer. That was the only time I can truly recall being upset with you and that was more so because you basically told me, without telling me, something bad was going to happen to you. But I know you're not withholding information from us to be spiteful or malicious. After all was said and done, I knew you lied about that distress call because you couldn't tell us you were forming a plan. You can't tell us everything and we know that."

"But what if I knew something that will change the course of all of our lives?" she asks softly, still not convinced she has nothing to worry about.

"Well, honestly, little wanderer, they always seem to do that." We both chuckle lightly and I run my finger down her face, tipping her head back to look at me. "When you had the visions about Lyker, then about what you were going to have to do at the academy, we knew something bad was going to happen. Your entire demeanor changed. So even though you tried to hide it on the outside, we knew because we feel you from the inside. We planned accordingly, to the best of our ability with our limited knowledge. So, I'd wager, whatever you've seen that's going to change shit up again isn't nearly as bad because you don't feel so anxious or scared. Whatever it is, I'll be here, Willow. You don't have to ever worry about me taking your visions out on you in any form of anger. I promise."

Her breath whooshes out of her and fans across my chest, leaving chill bumps in its wake. Her little game of questions tells me that something is coming, but hopefully this time, it's not near as bad as what we've already experienced. My answer seems to only relieve some of her worry, but I need her wholly convinced and back to her playful self. She's had enough stress for one day.

No need to add on over silly scenarios like me ever being mad at her.

"Draken, what—" Her words hitch when I flip her around, positioning her perfectly to look out the pool at her other men.

A soft little moan escapes her as soon as I wrap her legs back around my waist and spread them as far as I can. She holds herself up on the side of the pool and immediately using that leverage starts trying to push her ass back into my dick, but I grip her hips and make her stay still. Just that one little move, though, has me fucking hard as a rock, but this is about her right now.

"None of that, little wanderer. Just watch your men while I take care of you," I order.

Wrapping her wet hair around my fist, I move it out of my way so I can kiss up and down her neck. That's all it takes to have her already panting beneath me, but if she's too loud, she's going to draw their attention to us before I'm ready.

"You have to be quiet. Can you do that for me?" I ask low, kissing her on the soft skin behind her ear, making her shiver.

"Yes."

Her answer is breathy even in my mind and fuck, I love it, but I may have set myself up for failure. As I run my hands across her nipples, twisting them between my fingers, she moans loudly in my mind, and it drives me fucking wild. She knows how much her pleasure affects me.

"Draken. I need you to touch my pussy."

Oh. Fuck. Me.

I can't help the growl that leaves my chest. I crave her words and know it's something she hasn't grown used to doing yet, but fuck, I want her so comfortable with me, with any of us, she won't be embarrassed to ask for exactly what she wants. Anytime and with any form of communication.

Slipping my hand inside her bathing suit, I circle her clit and I can feel how wet she is for me. The water can't wash away that evidence and fuck, if I could breathe underwater, I'd fucking devour it all up right now.

Two of my fingers find their way easily inside of her pussy while my thumb takes over playing with her clit and the death grip she has me in tells me how much she needs this release. She's basically strangling my hand, and damn, I wish it were my cock.

"Tell them to come over here, little wanderer," I order.

"Wh-what?"

"Tell the others to come here."

Her excitement blooms in my chest and I know she's fucking thrilled to put on a show for them. My little wanderer likes for her men to watch her come undone and that's exactly what I'm going to make happen.

"Will…you three come join us?" she barely chokes out, trying her hardest not to give it away that she's currently riding my hand for her pleasure.

"Yeah. Come get wet with us," I add on.

"Draken." Corentin sighs.

Little does he know I mean that both figuratively and literally if she wants all her men after this orgasm I give her.

"Draken…"

"Nope, hold on, little wanderer, they're almost here. Open those legs wider so they can see this perfect pussy."

I snatch her bathing suit bottoms off her, and she does exactly as I ask. She spreads those creamy thighs of hers even farther apart and I don't have to be in front of her to know her pussy is glistening in the water for their viewing pleasure. I can't see her face, but I know her eyes are hooded, if even open, and when she lays her head back to my chest, my brothers groan, close enough now to realize what's going on.

"Come, little wanderer. Come all over my hand and show my brothers what they're missing right now. Don't hold back."

Fuck me, that's exactly what she does.

Her screams echo across the back lawn and my brothers stand statue still on the edge of the pool, staring through the clear water, watching her grind herself down on my hand.

I slowly pull my fingers out of her when her body relaxes, and she slumps even more into me. I don't attempt to hide my smug-ass smirk from my brothers' hungry faces. They could've come over here with me to check on her.

"You're gonna let the dragon get you in trouble, Primary," Caspian says as he squats down in front of us and grips Willow's jaw in his hand.

"I enjoy this kind of trouble," she says, winded, as a sweet smile crosses her face.

"We're well aware," he says low, leaning in to give her a kiss on the corner of her lips.

By the butterflies that flutter through her bond, I know she's relishing more in his attention rather than needing more pleasure, so I right her bathing suit bottoms and pull her over to the built-in stairs.

"Can you all take a break? Swim with us for a little while?" she asks the three of them as she gets comfortable on my chest.

"Sure, princess," Corentin easily agrees, stripping off his suit jacket.

"Make them match me, little wanderer. I want to see them all in my favorite color."

Her laugh rings in my mind, but she doesn't deny my request. Instead, her finger drifts slowly out of the water, and faster than my eye can catch, she strips their clothes, taking them all by surprise. Leaving them in red bathing suits that match mine. Well, almost. She's made Corentin's as small as a pair of her underwear and I know she did it to get a rise out of him.

"You look fantastic, Core. That red really brings out your eyes," I mentally say, sarcastic as fuck because I'm laughing too hard to talk.

"Princess."

"I'm worn out and run out of element. I'm sorry." She laughs hysterically, lying like hell. A bad lie at that.

"See. Trouble, Primary," Caspian says as he calls forth his water and steps onto the rising pillar that lowers him slowly into the pool in front of us.

Willow takes a hot minute to respond, so when I lean my head down to look at her, I find her staring hard at Caspian with purple slit eyes. She's mapping out every detail of the tattoo on his chest and tracing every scar it's trying to hide. The water around us heats up, and I know all too well her dragon is furious at what she sees.

"Don't freak out, Cas," I warn quietly.

She's going to pounce. She isn't going to be able to fight it.

"I'm not. Come here, Primary," he commands softly.

Like lightning, she covers the small distance between the two of them and wraps her legs around his waist. Her reaction makes me realize that this is the first time she's ever seen him shirtless. The thought didn't occur to me until now. Thinking about it, though, he's been particular about always wearing a shirt since she's been here. Before it'd be completely unbuttoned or just nonexistent while we were home.

Reaching out, he takes her hand in his and runs her fingers along his scars, letting her feel their grooves without her asking. It's the first time in my life I've ever seen anyone touch them. This shit makes my heart swell. He's come so fucking far for her and he deserves a love like the one she offers.

"Better, Primary?" he asks.

"Much. Thank you," she says softly, staring intently at him with fire in her eyes. It's not the sexual kind of heat, though. Nope. She wants to eat some people.

Fuck yes.

"How do you like the pool, little warrior?" Tillman asks, noticeably trying to distract her from her murderous thoughts.

She's doing remarkable keeping her feral side in check, honestly. When I saw hers for the first time, if she hadn't been underneath me naked, I would've gone into a rage.

"It's perfect and I love it. If there were a waterfall, then it'd truly look like a much larger version of my bath. I can't wait to spend all my time out here."

"I didn't tell her about the waterfall. I swear," I say instantly, holding my hands up in innocence when Tillman sends my ass a withering look.

"Really? It's just a coincidence that you've been asking for a waterfall for years and out of the blue she said it too?"

"Yes, really. I didn't mention it once," I swear. I didn't say a single word. I might have thought it, but I doubt she was listening.

"You don't have to put a waterfall in if you don't want to. I was just remarking on the resemblance," Willow says, wading her way over to him and wrapping her arms around him.

"He got his motivation for your bathroom from somewhere, princess," Corentin cuts in, waving his hand around the pool like it's obvious Tillman copied this layout.

"Do you want a waterfall?" he asks, looking down at Willow.

"I'd like one. Only if we can do it together, though," she says with a bat of her long lashes and I nearly erupt out of the pool.

Fuck yes. I'm getting my waterfall.

My little wanderer laughs, smiling over at me while Tillman rolls his eyes and Caspian walks over to join them.

"You have to have more than an earth element to have a waterfall Primary," Caspian says when she looks at him with questions brewing in her eyes. For a moment there, I was scared he was about to tell us no.

"You'll be able to use your water to make it constantly run?"

"My water will only be needed for the initial formation. After that, the pool and internal system will know what to do. This pool has been here for hundreds of years. It knows what to do to function. Tillman likes to spruce it up every now and then, but it's a hobby, not a necessity."

"That explains a lot. So what do we do to make a waterfall?" she asks excitedly, clapping her hands and turning to face the rock structure.

"If you have extra earth element just lying around, princess, I expect some real shorts. Not whatever the hell you have me in," Corentin says, coming to stand behind her with his arms crossed.

I can't help but die fucking laughing again. Half of his ass cheeks are out, and there's not a thing left to the imagination in terms of his dick. I've never seen him in something so skimp, so revealing, and it's hilarious. I wish someone could paint a picture of it.

"They're called speedos." Willow gasps through her laughter. "They're popular in the nonmagical realm."

"Popular for who? Females?" he asks incredulously.

"No. Men."

At that, the four of us exchange glances 'cause there's no way in hell any of us would walk about with our junk just on full display for any female, aside from Willow, to see. But hey, to each their own. If you got something you're proud of, do you.

With a wave of her hand, Corentin now has shorts that match the three of us and he visibly relaxes. He may have been a little uncomfy, but he's still smirking at her little joke, so no harm.

"There. Better?" Willow chuckles, wading over to him.

"Much, princess. Thank you," he says, pulling her against his chest and pinching her chin. "Now go make your waterfall."

He sends her back to Tillman with a tap to her ass and comes to sit beside me on the stairs. We both lean back and enjoy the show.

It's not sexual by any means, obviously, but watching Willow manipulate the elements is its own sight to see. Throw in Tillman and Caspian working alongside her, it's fucking amazing.

Tillman obviously decides to give her instructions mentally for her to hold her concentration better because neither speak, but they both randomly nod and wave their hands in the air, pointing at the rock formation and drawing out a design.

Corentin and I watch and wait with unfiltered excitement. Other than me being over the moon about finally having the waterfall I've been asking for, for years, this is the first thing Willow's changed or put her own touch on since being here. Corentin may be a control freak and want everything to go his way, but he still wants her to have a say in it or at least feel comfortable enough to tell him what she'd like to have.

This is the first time she's done that and he's fucking ecstatic right now.

Simultaneously, we sit up and hold our breaths as the rock formation begins to creak and move around. About six inches down from the top, a horizontal slit begins to open and although we can't see it, we hear the rock shifting on the inside until there's a subtle shake throughout the floor of the pool.

As soon as Caspian feels that, he lowers his hand into the water, concentrating hard on the rock. Slowly, water starts sputtering out of the opening until finally a gush of it comes rushing out and doesn't stop.

"Fuck yes," Willow cheers, jumping up and down, wrapping both Tillman and Caspian in a hug. Well, as much of a hug as she can manage with the size difference.

Corentin and I get up from the stairs to join them and the five of us stand together, gazing at our new waterfall pouring into the pool. I admit, it's so much better than I thought it would be, and I have no doubt that has everything to do with the fact my little wanderer helped make it.

"You were right. It needed a waterfall," Tillman says as he bumps me with his elbow.

"You were right too. It wasn't necessary until now," I say as I smile at Willow racing Corentin over to the new rush of water.

Caspian cheated and moved through the water, beating them both there, but Willow and Corentin have made a game of their race, using their air elements to slow each other down.

I haven't seen my brothers this relaxed and happy in, well, I don't know if I've ever seen them this happy. And it's all thanks to her.

I can't wait until this is our life every day.