26. Twenty- Six

Twenty- Six

Corentin

She’s going to pace a hole in my carpet.

Willow’s footsteps are silent as she goes from one end of my office at the academy to the other. She runs her fingers slowly over the back of my couch every time she passes it, and as she makes her full circle, she lays her hand on the window. Leaving an impression on the glass with every touch.

“Princess, either come sit on my lap or on the couch. Your wandering in this circle is making me dizzy and I can’t focus on my work,” I command, holding in my smirk when she scowls at me.

“How can you be so calm right now?” she asks, placing those soft hands on her hips.

Laying down my pen, I swivel my chair to face her and beckon her over with a curl of my finger. I see the refusal on her face, but with a tilt of my lip, she huffs and makes her way to me.

As soon as she sits, the tension that’s rolling through her slithers across my skin and I press my lips to her temple, attempting to calm its rapid beat.

“I’m calm because I have full faith in them. Caspian and Draken may live for the thrill of a fight, but they’re smart, resourceful, and would never do something stupid enough to jeopardize coming home to you. They also took the Bane of Essence. Keeper is the literal ruler of their home realm and can command the vampires with a glare. It’s very normal and natural for you to be anxious, but they’re fine.”

We decided that it’d be wise to go check on the portal in the Forsaken Forest. Although we already know it’s open, and the Summum-Master can come and go as he pleases with a couple of drops of blood, there’s been no report whatsoever from our recons that anyone has gone in or out of the forest. Since it’s been weeks of nothing, we thought it best to see what’s been going on inside since we got Keeper out.

With only four days left before we check the others and track down Willow’s blood, it’s better to be over prepared rather than under.

The original plan was to send Keeper in with a small team, but Draken quickly stated he’d be going with him, followed by Caspian declaring if Draken was going, he was going. So it went from a small E.F. recon mission, to a side quest for half our Nexus.

“You’re right.” Willow sighs, leaning into me more. “It’s just worrisome. I haven’t wanted to talk in our mental link because I don’t want to distract them, but by their bonds, they’re perfectly fine.”

“See. And they’re due back in just a few. Let me fix you a cup of coffee. You can snuggle up on the couch and read or relax, whatever you want until then.”

Swooping her up into my arms, she throws her head back, laughing as I clench the back of her thighs repeatedly, tickling her all the way to the couch. She nearly flies out of my arms to get away from me, but I set her down and seal my lips to hers.

I linger, letting the remainder of her worry bleed out into me. When that happy little hum vibrates in the back of her throat, I give her a few pecks before making my way over to the kettle.

Four sugar cubes.

Six splashes of honeyed cream.

And my secret ingredient…an incredibly small pinch of allspice to enhance the roasted, earthy coffee grinds.

The guys think they could make her coffee perfectly, but they’re wrong because I hide that little flavor that so many turn their noses up to. If you used too much of it, yeah, the strong undertones would ruin the whole drink, but the minuscule I put in is just right.

Some would find it weird that I keep a small stash hidden with me all the time, but I don’t give a fuck. Never know when my princess may want a coffee pick me up.

She deeply inhales the aroma as soon as I pass the mug over to her and sighs happily around the rim. I give her a quick kiss on the forehead and march back to my seat with a smug grin plastered to my face that she can’t see.

I hold in the groan that wants to escape me as I look down at the paperwork scattered across my desk. My room at the palace has spoiled me beyond belief when it comes to taking care of the administrative side of my role. There’s no sense in spending hours of my day working on things such as this when I can have it done in minutes.

Biting the dagger since we’ve got to be here when the others return anyways, I take a peek over at Willow, who’s already zoned into her book on true Primaries, again, then I center my attention on my own work.

The buzzing of my communicator steals my focus as soon as I gather it, and I side-eye it, planning on ignoring it, but the name I see causes me to pause.

“Gean Everglow is calling me,” I announce, grabbing the device and staring at it.

“What?” Willow whisper-yells as if he’ll hear her, jumping from the couch. “Are you going to answer it?”

Nodding, I place my finger to my lips.

“Headmaster Vito,” I answer on speaker with my scholarly tone rather than the relaxed pitch my Nexus and family get to hear.

“Corentin, how are you today?”

I grit my teeth at the lax way he says my name. He’s always addressed me and my brother as if we’re below him rather than show us the respect we deserve. I’ve always brushed it off so I don’t cause my mom any problems, but now that I know what I know, it pisses me off beyond fucking belief.

Fucking scum.

“It’s Headmaster Vito, Councilman Everglow. ”

The silence on the other end is telling but not surprising. Gima got her holier than everyone attitude honest. Her mother and father believe they are Elementra’s gift to us all, and the rotten Genko berry didn’t fall far from the bush.

“Of course.”

“What can I do for you today?” I ask smugly.

“Just wanted to give you my proper congratulations. We’ve been quite busy over the last few weeks since we received the decree about the Spring Ball. The Matriarch’s announcement was a shock, to say the least, but a happy one.”

“I appreciate that. We’re all excited and overjoyed by Elementra’s blessing of a true Primary,” I say, casting my gaze over at Willow.

“Ah, yes, a bountiful blessing. For her to be a true Primary to the Vito heirs, she must be quite a powerful female,” he says, and the phishing for information on Willow is apparent in his compliment .

“What do you think he wants to know?”

“I’m not sure, princess. I don’t believe there’s anything I could say that they don’t already know. The Summum-Master is plenty aware of your level of power.”

“That she is. She’s impressive, to say the least.”

“If the rumors are true, I’d have to believe that. It’s been said she’s a shifter, dragon, just like the one in your Nexus. Does her beast have the same vicious tendencies?”

This motherfucker.

Willow’s eyes flash purple before settling back to her lethal silver and I smile because truthfully, her dragon could or would be a thousand times more vicious if need be over us.

“I’m not sure what you’re trying to insinuate with your question, Gean , but I’ll remind you, you’re not speaking to a friend. Mind your words when speaking about my Primary or my brothers.”

My words are firm and steady. There’s no hint of anger or aggression in my tone, just unapologetic facts. I’m not some subordinate that he can speak freely with, and if he can’t manage to remember that with this conversation, I’ll gladly remind him when I wipe his entire family out for betraying our realm.

“No insinuation, just concerned curiosity. We all remember what happened when your brother emerged. It’s best to prepare the people for who their future ruler may be.”

May…I don’t like that wording.

“No need to worry yourself with such things. It’ll be Gima who will need to fuss about those problems in the future. How is she, by the way? The staff and her peers are missing her around the academy.”

Willow covers her mouth with her hand, and her eyes widen when she looks at me in utter shock. No, I’m not usually one to stoop to pettiness, but I couldn’t give a fuck about this man. His sideways-ass ways of saying things in this pointless conversation are pissing me off.

I’ve already figured out the entire reason for this call and it’s not going to make any difference.

“She’s doing fine. Her mother has her on a study retreat, so she’s keeping up with what she should. I must be going now, Headmaster, duty calls. I do appreciate the conversation. Please tell your Primary I look forward to meeting her at the Spring Ball.” With that, he hangs up, not giving me a chance to say anything else.

Willow and I share a loaded look, and I shake my head at that ridiculousness.

“What in the hell was that all about?”

“That, princess, was social and political scheming at its finest. He’s holding the meeting between the five to discredit your name and make you out to be someone worth worrying about.”

“What?” she asks, outraged.

“That is the elite and the five for you. I could predict how the entirety of that meeting will go now. The Everglows, and whoever the other family is betraying us, will talk about how you’re a threat to the realm, just as they did when we found Draken. They’ll attempt to rally the other three families behind them in this stance, then they’ll bring their concerns to my mom. It’ll be the five of them against her, and she’ll do one of two things .

“One, she’ll shut the shit down immediately, just as she had to do with Draken, or two, which as much as it pisses me off to say, may be the better pick. She’ll pretend to take their concerns into consideration. It’ll set the Everglows and the others up into believing they’re roping her in. They’ll outwardly appear more comfortable, condescending.”

Willow looks at me in pure disgust, and it’s not aimed at me, but at everything I just explained.

“That is the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard. I mean, I’ve read your notes, Aurora’s, and whatever else I could, so I get that they’re petty, very social status centered, to a dangerous level, but they’re really like that? They’ll try to convince the realm I’m a rabid beast? For what?”

“Yes, they’re really like that. It’s like early academy all over again, but with deadly adults.” I sigh, holding my hand out for her to take so I can pull her between my legs before I tell her this next part. “If this was before we knew as much about the Mastery as we do, I’d say they were doing it to gain leverage over you. Think of it as a way to control you and your behaviors. If they have you by a leash, they can keep you in line. But…now that we know what we know, it’s—”

“If I were to die or disappear, the realm wouldn’t be in an uproar. They’d already fear me, and it’d seem like a blessing. Then there’d possibly be another realm trial because we all would die. They’d never let Aurora continue ruling. They’d overthrow her.” She finishes for me.

I hate the sadness I hear in her voice, and I pull her down completely on my lap. She lays her head on my shoulder as the unfairness of this weighs her down .

“We’re not going to let it come to that. Elementra willing, there will never be another realm trial, nor will one ever be needed. For generations to come, we’ll teach them integrity, compassion, and what it means to care for a realm and the people they love. It won’t ever be like it was two thousand years ago, princess.”

She nods and exhales harshly, but it’s the contemplative look on her face that really catches my attention. Something about what I said has just sparked something in her mind.

“What is it, princess?”

“I don’t know, Core. There’s something I’m missing, and I feel like it’s on the tip of my brain, but I can’t figure it out. Something either happened before the realm trials or after. The records Cas and Gaster were so concerned with that we found in CC’s room didn’t show many revelations about the families that entered. All the lines were accounted for, no surviving relatives or Nexus members seeking revenge, but something happened between that generation and Drudy’s that sparked the Summum-Master’s grand plan.”

“I know. I think—”

“Can you two come to the dungeons or are you doing freaky shit in the office again?” Draken asks, cutting off my words.

“You’d know if we were doing that, Draken.” Willow snorts.

“What’s going on in the dun—palace prison?” I ask, rolling my eyes as Willow laughs. It’s a prison, not a dungeon. There’s a difference…usually.

“We brought a little spy back with us. Need Tman or little wanderer to do some digging.”

Willow hops off my lap with quickness and I stand right behind her. Whatever spy they’ve captured, we need whatever is in their mind.

“Ready?” I ask her.

“Ready.”

Wrapping her in my arms, I transport us straight to the door of Cas’s favorite room and at the same time, Tillman pops in beside us.

“Well, that was quick,” he says, shooting us a wink.

“He’s getting worse. If his nonsense is rubbing off on you now, I’m screwed,” I say, shaking my head and buttoning my jacket. It’s going to be the four of them against me with their jokes and teasing nonstop.

“Nah, life’s just getting sweeter. Laugh a little, Core,” he says, swinging Willow out of my arms and kissing her like it’s been days not hours since he’s seen her. Hopeless romantic.

And I do laugh plenty. I’ve laughed every single day for weeks, as a matter of fact.

Since my princess gave me a piece of her soul.

They all just enjoy riling me up and then laughing about it.

“After you, your highness. We have a spy’s mind to pick apart.”

That they do.

Pulling my shoulders back, I push the door open and walk into the tortu—interrogation room, but my steps halt, causing Willow to slam into my back. Instinctively, I swing my arm around, gripping her before she falls.

“A vampire? You all stole a vampire out of the forest?”

Caspian, Draken, and Keeper turn to me with the most innocent fucking smiles on their faces as they stand around the snarling vampire they have strapped to the chair. By the color of his eyes, I can tell he’s completely sane, but he’s pissed to be in the position he’s in.

“I don’t think it’s considered stealing, brother. We’ve brought him in for questioning and then he’ll be returned,” Caspian says so nonchalantly, I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“I thought when you said spy, you meant like a Mastery member. What are we going to get from…I don’t know his name,” Willow says, cocking her head to the side, observing the vampire in fascination.

“Ah, my dear, Adored, this here is Renic. He’s a scared little Baccum who has an impressive ability to sneak around undetected. Many of the vampires, even with their enhanced hearing and speed, can’t keep up with him. He likes to spy on all the others and the Mastery members. Selling what he knows for the price of blood. That’s incredibly valuable in the forest. I believe he’s the one who…” Keeper pauses as his eyes flash crimson before he shakes his head and sneers at Renic. “He’ll know things. Whether they’re helpful or not, I’m not sure.”

A wave of sadness hits me in my chest, but just as fast as I felt it, it’s gone. When I peer over at Willow, her eyes stay trained on Keeper with a softness I don’t understand, then they glare down at the captive creature.

“Well, then let’s see, shall we.”

Strolling up to him like she doesn’t have a care in the realm, before any of us can stop her or just step up to help, Willow slams her palm against his forehead. He immediately bellows out in pain, and I’m surprised by the forceful use of her power, but obviously, she knows something about this vampire that the rest of us don’t .

Minutes stretch by as he grunts, snarls, and shakes beneath her palm, but she doesn’t relent. She rips out whatever information she deems important, and by the time it’s taking her to do this, she’s looking years back.

Finally, stumbling away from him, heaving, Keeper grips her by the elbow to steady her and she mutters, “Fuck.” It’s softly spoken at first, but then her voice rises as she shrieks, “Fuck.”

That burst of outrage is paired with dread, anger, guilt, all kinds of emotions I can’t decode fast enough. Anger I understand. I’m sure this vampire has seen some shit, but the others are completely lost on myself and my brothers.

“What did you see, little wanderer?” Draken asks, standing in front of her to block her sight of the vampire.

Her chest rises and falls heavily as she stares into his eyes, then they turn to Keeper and soften. “The answer to the question you’ve been wondering is yes. He used to lurk outside your perimeter.”

For as long as I’ve known him—which I get hasn’t been long—much like Draken, he’s a very cheery person. He’s extremely grateful for the second chance at life, but right now, every feature on his face crumbles before filling with fury.

“Thank you for getting me that answer, Adored.”

“You’re welcome. Let’s give Keeper a moment, then we can meet in the foyer, and I’ll tell you what I found out,” she says as she turns around and looks at me, Tillman, and Caspian.

“I do not need a moment.”

Keeper growls, and faster than my eyes can follow but loud enough my ears can hear, the sound of bones breaking and skin tearing echoes around the room. Willow’s eyes close gently and her body shudders, but she stops walking, waiting for Keeper to finish.

“What the hell? What is going on, Primary?”

“It’s not my story to tell…yet.”

Her lids flutter open, and guilt swells in her eyes along with water. I don’t believe the guilt has anything to do with the vampire’s death, though, more so being the one who had to tell Keeper whatever her cryptic message means.

“Draken, would you please use your flames?” Keeper asks quietly.

“Yeah, of course.”

His blue flames obey his call, lighting Renic’s body on fire, and the smell of burning hair flows through the room. That pungent stench is enough to make my nose twitch, and I use my air to circulate the reek out the door. It minimally helps, but soon enough, there’s nothing but ash on the floor.

“Is there anything prudent I need to hear?” Keeper asks as he comes to stand in front of Willow.

“Nothing we can’t catch you up on.”

Nodding, he pulls her into his arms for a hug that they both seem to need, and the four of us just stare curiously.

Dying on the inside to know what the hell is happening.

“Do not feel burdened by telling me that. That is a truth I’ve searched for, for many years without any proof. Thank you, Adored,” he whispers into her hair before striding toward the door otherwise wordlessly.

“Where’s he going?” Draken asks with concern lacing his question.

“To Tanith. He just needs a few minutes to calm down,” she says lightly, holding her hand out for him to take.

He accepts it easily, but his face is twisted in confusion and his eyes bounce from between her and the door Keeper just exited. I’m sure more than any of us, he wants to know what just caused that.

“Then let’s go hear what you learned, little warrior,” Tillman says steadily. The strain in his shoulders tells me he’s not reading her mind like he desperately wants to, and she knows it too, by the small smile she offers him.

“Cas,” I say, giving him the go-ahead to move us.

Instead of the foyer, he whisks us through the shadows until we’re in what we’ve deemed Willow’s lounge. It’s most certainly her space, handcrafted to perfection with everything she ever wanted in a room just for her to relax.

We all plop down on the couch heavily, and the tense, confused silence stretches on. There’s a weight sitting on Willow that I can feel all over my body and my brothers nor I know what to do in this moment. This isn’t something she’s told us about, which means she can’t. For now, if I picked up on her ‘yet’ correctly.

“The Summum-Master has been going to the nonmagical realm over the last few weeks. He must be using some sort of concealment to not be noticed by the recon teams hiding out,” Willow finally says, breaking the rigid hush in the room. “Renic has been watching him bring in men. It’s obviously nonmagical men, seeing as he leaves alone but returns with someone. The last man he arrived back with was the scientist, Drin. He didn’t look more powerful or any different, but who fucking knows with that cloak and illusion covering his face. But he’s still stealing gifts.”

Fuck.

I lock down the rage attempting to crawl up my throat and spew through my lips. I had a hunch the news had something to do with the Summum-Master, but I wasn’t prepared to hear he’s brought in another scientist. Not any old scientist, but the fucker who drew her blood from the time she was a child.

We’ve been asking ourselves how or if he was still going to be able to perform the ritual without a skilled scientist there to brew and administer the infection, then aid him with the ritual. Just because we knew about Drin, we figured since he’s been stuck in the nonmagical realm for fuck knows how long, he wouldn’t have the knowledge Ale or Darstein did on the infection or ritual to transfer the gifts.

Assumptions. We’ve been making far too many of them lately and they’re posing to be no help.

Based on her vision of the Summum-Master, we’ve also assumed we’d have time to stop him from moving to the Valorian Veil by destroying her blood supply.

That possibility is still there, but it just got a lot more dangerous and needs to happen sooner rather than later.

If he’s moving men in to power them up, he’ll be powering himself next.

“This doesn’t change the plans. As of today’s reports,” Tillman waits, looking at me, and I nod, knowing what he wants to know, “All the main portals are still closed, so he isn’t traveling that way. From what we gathered from shit in Uncle Orien’s room, if he was going through the nonmagical realm to access other portals there, it’s time-consuming and he’d be gone longer than what you’re telling us. So for now, we stick to our plan.

“Does it suck he’s stealing gifts? Fuck yes, absolutely, but we have no way of tracking down every possible concealed structure, and that hastily made decision will cost us lives. You’re the only person I know who can tear the concealments down, little warrior, and you can’t be all over the realm at once. I’ll form teams of scouts, call in our Master Geographers and find the most secluded areas in Elementra to send teams to watch for activity. Once we destroy your blood and retrieve Codi’s brothers, we will make offensive moves and start hitting possible locations. Does that answer the majority of what’s running through everyone’s heads?”

We all nod.

I’m already making a list of the top Geographers I know and where they are. We can get them in here today, and they can begin mapping out the best possible locations. I’ll ask Gaster to lead this up. With his already extensive knowledge, he can aid and lead them on what we want better than even we can.

“I’ve got to figure out this portal situation. I need to close the one to the nonmagical realm. If Keeper can confirm from the vampires that the Summum-Master is currently in Elementra, I need to keep it that way.” Willow blows out a heavy breath, her disappointment spreading through the room.

“Everything you need to know or do will come with time, little warrior. Stop doubting yourself and believe that,” Tillman tells her firmly.

She nods wordlessly and falls back more fully into both Draken and Caspian. Neither try to move her or manhandle her. They just look at her with worry written across their faces.

At every turn, my princess feels like she’s being outsmarted, but I don’t believe that for a second.

Unfortunately, I believe this is the reprieve before the shit show.