Page 41 of Gift from the Source (Source of Elementra #5)

Thirty-six

Caspian

Fifty years after that

My eyes darken as I stare down the infuriating woman in front of me.

“Tell me what it was that you saw.”

She matches my glare.

“If you don’t get the hell out my lab, asshole, I’m going to drown you.”

“You could try, Perfecta Anima . I’m not going to ask again.”

“I’m not going to tell you again. I will not share that information with you. What I see in the Looking Glass only needs to be shared if there’s relevance to the realm’s history.”

“This is the realm’s history. Literally the definition of the history. One hundred and forty-five years ago, you saw Elementra creating the five daughters. I know you’ve seen more since then. I just need you to tell me one name.”

“I’m not doing it, Caspian. You know good and damn well you’re asking me to break the realmly rules. You have to figure it out first, with concrete proof, then I can confirm or deny. You don’t harass Willow like this over her visions. ”

“That’s because she is my Primary and I won’t cause her any distress. You, on the other hand, get on my very last nerve and I don’t mind bothering you.”

“I really feel the brotherly love, I do. This has been a great bonding experience, but if you don’t want to wear the concoction I’m brewing, then I’d advise you float on out of here.”

She narrows her eyes on me and lifts the ladle from her fancy little cauldron.

My fists clench at my sides as she continues to refuse me the answer I want. Answers. Plural.

I came to her years upon years ago now and told her I was planning a surprise for Willow. She was completely on board at first. Then I told her what it was, and she zipped her lips.

She gave me a speech on how I knew she couldn’t do that.

Unfortunately, much like the sight, the Looking Glass is one of those things you have to tread carefully with.

Moments in time, even those long ago, can influence what happens now. Especially depending on what version of the truth was built upon the event.

If it all was a lie, it can all come crashing down.

We were fortunate enough that the realm didn’t revolt against us when I released the corrected history of our line.

The realm as a collective didn’t agree with the truth being kept from them, but at the end of the day, the Vitos were a much better outcome for them than Malvolio Choice ever would’ve been. Plus, we’ve served them well in the time since.

I grit my teeth as she lifts her little spoon some more. I know she really will throw it. Especially if it’ll only hurt and not kill me. “Fine.”

“And don’t go snitching on me to my sister again either, asshole. She didn’t help you the last time and she won’t now.”

Blah. We’ll see about that.

I shadow out of Oakly’s lab in the east wing and make my way to my library. That’s what I now refer to the room Uncle Orien designed for me .

In the last one hundred and fifty years, I’ve made quite the modifications to it. I needed more space for all my books from around the realms.

We’ve ventured to them all now, except for the Valorian Veil.

Our Nexus has traveled to the portal a couple of times, but it burdens my Primary every time we do it. Something on the other side bothers her greatly, but she won’t speak about it.

It makes me worry for my little bird friend.

I think of him often.

I bet he knows the answers I seek.

Too bad the revelation of who Willow was came hours after he left.

I step out of the shadow and walk across my room to where I have a massive picture frame concealed.

The little side project I created started one hundred and twenty years ago. It was just supposed to be a fun hobby for me to pass the time when I didn’t have much else going on.

I told myself eventually it would get done and I’d surprise my little Primary with it as a gift.

Granted, I will admit, it’s become more of an obsession than a hobby. The more and more I discovered, the more I desperately needed to get these answers for her.

“Reveal.”

My fingers trace down the black trunk of the willow tree in the center of the frame. I continue to trace over the large five branches that I created and down the leaves I’ve added.

It’s all been made with my shadows.

It’s a family tree for my sweet Willow.

Or it would be if one branch didn’t sit completely bare.

I’ve been able to track down four of the original daughters’ lines, including the one she comes from.

Her line was the easiest to figure out.

She knows quite a bit on her own from everything she’s gotten from her communal knowledge. She most certainly has information on the other lines as well, but she doesn’t know who they are, only what they know .

They proved incredibly challenging to figure out.

This idea to make this for her started festering after she told us the story her mother shared with her when she was telling her about her gift. Then even more so after the conversation she had with Elementra.

It’s taken me all this time and multiple travels to various realms to gather research on ‘unnatural’ occurrences that happened.

I’ve had to slyly sneak in questions every so often to coax an answer about a portal that was opened, when it was, where it originated from, where it went and so forth. She takes it as me just being curious and wanting to know things, which is both true, but I believe I’ve done a remarkable job keeping my true intentions from her.

It honestly has been the most intriguing and exciting challenge I’ve faced.

I had to search parts of the realm I’d never even considered visiting because why would I need to see random and sometimes even abandoned towns on the outskirts of territories?

Those were my gold mines.

Broken down, falling apart cottages. Secret hideaways in caves.

You name it.

The daughters hid themselves very well.

Had I not had a leg up because of Willow, I never in my life would’ve discovered what I have.

This little side adventure I gave myself has taken me from one end of Elementra to the other.

There isn’t a place my shadows haven’t reached.

It’s also taken me across realms with my Primary by my side.

I’ve loved every minute of it.

“Cas…”

My mind fills with an accusatory tone.

“Yes, sweet Willow.”

“Don’t even give me that innocent voice. Have you been harassing Oakly again?”

“Why ever would I do that?”

“Not sure, but she just said the next time you interrupt her in the middle of an experiment, she’s going to use you as her tester.”

I cringe at the thought of what that sassy monster would do to me.

“I assure you, I haven’t been bothering your Perfecta Anima today.”

“Lies.” Her chuckle pulls the corners of my lips into a smile. “Well, what are you up to then?”

I peer up at my masterpiece I’ve created for her and my shoulders sag. I don’t like admitting defeat, so I won’t call this that, but I don’t believe I’ll be able to finish it without her.

“Come to my library, Primary.”

My shadows flow from my hands as I wave them in the direction of the frame so I can at least give her the grand reveal I was looking forward to.

It’s only seconds until she’s walking out the corner of the room, smiling around at everything in here as she does each time she enters.

Those observant eyes do a double take at the huge cloud of shadows I have hovering behind me. “What’s going on?”

“There’s something I’d like to show you.”

“What is it?”

Her slow question is full of wonder and curiosity. Something that’s never abandoned her and I’m grateful for it.

Despite my willow tree not being finished, she’s going to love it.

She lays her hand in my outstretched palm without ever taking her eyes off the secret in the room. Her heart pounds in excited pulses that travel from her fingers to mine.

“Ready?”

“Always.”

She snatches her hand out of mine as she uses it to cover her mouth and the gasp that just flew from it.

Tentatively, she steps forward until her fingers can reach the bark of the trunk. Her eyes eat up every surface and by the flinch and twitch of her finger above a name, I know she’s figured out what I’ve made.

“Iris Quinn (Fortia). That’s the name of our line. You…how? When?”

Her hair nearly slaps me in the face as she whips around.

“Over the years. Many, many years. ”

The darkness from my shadows embroiders into the canvas on the leaf under her mom’s name as I run my finger over it gently.

Willow Vito (Fortia).

“I don’t understand. I’ve asked CC so many times for this answer. I’ve even asked him to ask Mom, but neither would tell me.”

“I don’t have that answer, Primary. Maybe they knew I started this one hundred and twenty years ago, so they didn’t want to ruin my fun.”

“You what? Oh my Elementra. You spent all those years making this for me?”

“I did. I found a lot of joy in doing this. You are remarkable and come from a small society of very remarkable women. Learn about them, sweet Willow.”

Her breath whooshes out of her as she falls headfirst into observing every single piece of the tree.

As she goes, I give her information I’ve learned.

“Turns out or so I believe, you don’t actually share blood with them. From what I’ve gathered and of course just my scholarly belief, Elementra doesn’t actually bleed blood like we do. She infused a piece of herself into each daughter and because they were created to have bodies such as ours, that essence spread through the blood. So you all aren’t technically related by blood but born from the same essence.”

“Makes sense,” she mumbles, mystified.

“Wisdom, Compassion, Fortitude, Courage, and Balance. The five large personalities that Elementra bestowed on each daughter. It’s my belief that some of those pieces latched onto each one a little more.” I point to the line that she has her hand resting on. “The Baldo line. The last to come but the first to go. From what I gathered, this was the line that died first. Throwing everyone off balance.”

Her calculating eyes swing to mine and I nod.

“The Kuvira line. Based on some records I recovered, there was a small battle that happened. Two recognizable people were there whose names overlapped. One was called the Kuvira Primary, the other the Levina Primary. The Kuvira Primary didn’t make it. I believe she sacrificed herself for the Levina Primary. Courage and compassion .

“I followed the trail of the Levina Primary and she was eventually found. She gave herself up when the people hunting her attacked the small village she and her Nexus lived in. The people of that village wrote about all she did for their community.

“This line obviously is the line I gathered the most information on. The Fortia Line. That’s your line, Primary. The fortitude the women in your line possessed kept you all here until the end. It’s not to be confused with courage. Courage is having the ability to face the dangers in front of you. Which you most certainly do all the time. But your grandmothers, your moms, even before them. You all have an incredible ability to endure and never give up.”

Her hand glides over the tapestry lovingly and she nods the entire time. I wait impatiently patient for her to say something.

The glistening in her eyes reflects amazement not sadness, but my heart thunders in my ribs that I’ve overstepped. Her bond is a mixture of emotions, but I believe the more negative ones stem from hearing and knowing the end they all met.

Finally, she releases a breathy laugh and her gift caresses my mind.

“Very, very good, nephew. I knew you got your brains from me.”

My body shudders and I close my eyes so I can savor his approval. “Thanks, Uncle. Now some help with that last line would be greatly appreciated so I can finish your daughter’s gift.”

“Pulling the daughter card, are we?”

“If it gets me what I want.”

His laugh echoes around my mind before it fades away and I groan in frustration. Willow’s gasp has me whipping my eyes down to her and anticipation building in my chest.

“Shut up,” she whispers.

“What? What did he say?”

She doesn’t answer. The darkness of her gift whisks me away and through the walls. She drops us out in Uncle Orien’s bedroom that’s more so Gaster’s space now.

“Well, what are you two”

“The Cato line was the fifth line of Elementra’s daughters. ”

My whole body jerks. “What?”

A slow smile creeps across the old man’s face as he pauses with his teacup close to his mouth. The two of us sit silently as his eyes bounce between us.

“You know, I never knew the true significance of my line until you found out what and who you are, child. It spurred me on to do my own searching.”

“He’s about to tell us. We’re finally going to know his age, Primary.”

“I know. Oh my Elementra. I’m so excited I’m shaking.”

I send my shadows to wrap around her wrists and hers do the same to me. We wait patiently as the time seems to tick on forever.

“My mother requested her line be spared, so I was born a son, not a daughter. Good luck finding that trail, you two. I’ve left nothing behind. Those secrets are safe with me.”

Willow places a hand to my chest as I try to stomp toward the smiling old shit. He has the nerve to laugh and wink at me as my feet stop moving.

“Challenge accepted, old man.”

“Have funs, kids.”

He waves us off, chuckling as he finally brings the mug to his lip and picks his book back up. I have half a mind to dump the contents out all over what he’s reading.

Too bad I have more respect for the text in his hand.

“You’ll figure it out, Cas. All you needed was a name.”

My face is hot and turned up in a sneer until her words wrap around my heart.

There have been many, many times in our life together so far, our journey somewhere started with needing a name.

It may have taken a little time, a lot of patience, and many truths to be revealed, but she and I together always find what we’re looking for.

“We’ve got a lifetime to figure it out, little Primary.”