Page 42 of Gift from the Source (Source of Elementra #5)

Willow

Fifty years after that

Her 226 th birthday

Two hundred years.

That’s how long I’ve walked this realm so far.

Alongside my men, my family, and the many friends I’ve been blessed enough to know along the way.

Life really settled down for us about thirty years ago. Despite the many ‘mini’ month-long vacations we’ve been on, that was the first extended time we really took away.

Even after Corentin, Tillman, and Draken retired from the academy, they started helping more with the palace E.F. and whatever needed to be done with the palace.

It’s hard to say I retired from anything as I’ve always bounced between Vito Academy, sometimes Terravile Pack Academy, a lot of time spent in the amplifier room, helping Oakly with whatever discovery she was working on, and of course, when duty of the realm called.

Cas, when he wasn’t rewriting history, the two of us really just floated around wherever we were needed. It kept us far busier than you’d think.

Aurora actually declared we had to take some time away.

She sat us all down and told us to get out of the palace.

We were flabbergasted.

She laughed like it was the realm’s funniest joke, but then she grew serious. Her eyes fell out of focus like they always do when she reminisces.

When she blinked the tears away, she asked us to take some time away to enjoy one another to the fullest with no added responsibility from her. She said there were so many times she wished that she had been allowed to just run off with her Nexus and live for a little while.

I’d thought about that before then, but hearing her say it, it put into perspective how truly trapped she’d always been. She’s only ever really been allowed to leave that palace on duties to the realm. Never for pleasure with her Nexus.

She was giving us a gift she never received.

We were gone for nearly four years.

Nearly a year of it was spent with us hiding away at the cottage we built beside my mom’s. Lyker nor I have ever been able to bring ourselves to change it or really make it our own. I don’t think we ever will.

We’ll always cherish it as hers.

Granted, of course, in the time we were gone, we came back and visited, spent time with Aurora and my fathers-in-law. Oakly and her Nexus often came and spent time with us wherever we were. As did my brothers and Aria. Gaster, Keeper, and Tanith as well.

For the better part of those four years, though, it was just us.

And, of course, our little Prio when he wasn’t being so stubborn.

Calling him little is comical.

Like Tanith had warned us, he was about five when he started trying to do whatever he wanted. So much so, his instincts basically said, ‘Wait till eight to ten to fly? No, thank you.’

He took to the sky by six and we could barely get him down from there. He still isn’t fully grown. He’s sitting at around seventeen feet and growing. He’s an absolute handful. There’ve been many times Draken and I have had to go looking for him.

It isn’t easy either.

Yeah, our little dragon is different.

Beside his purple scales, he can, well…disappear.

Just poof right out of thin air.

We have no clue where he goes or where he ends up and he doesn’t tell us. Tanith laughs at us every time we sit him down and try to have a talk with him. She’s said many times, he’s an over-grown one-hundred-year-old dragon child. He’s not going to listen to anyone but himself.

He’s been such a blessing.

We returned from adventuring through our realm and all the others, aside from the Valorian Veil, right before my two hundredth birthday.

Aurora glowed as we told her about our adventures.

On my actual two hundredth birthday, she threw me a huge party.

I had to get a breath of fresh air from all the dancing, food, drinks, and people. So I snuck myself out to the gardens. She chuckled when she found me a little while later.

She asked me if I got everything I wanted for my birthday.

I had.

I had my men, my family, my friends, a letter from my mom, of course CC loudly sang me happy birthday. It was an amazing birthday, but I had one more request from her.

She said anything.

I told her on my two hundredth and twenty-sixth birthday, the two-hundred-year anniversary of my arrival, I wanted the realm.

The taste of freedom filled her eyes for a moment before she shook her head. She said she wouldn’t do that to me so soon.

I told her she had to.

It was my time.

We shared a long, tear-filled moment.

Much like the one we shared earlier today when she placed the crown on my head in front of the whole realm.

With Elementra as our witness, power surged through the land .

I’m the new Matriarch of Elementra.

My men are now the Ruling Nexus.

They’re currently laid out around me, sound asleep.

After our coronation celebration, they whisked me up here to our bedroom and had their wicked ways with me with my crown still on my head.

I just wanted a quiet moment to listen to their soft snores and the beats of their hearts.

They’ve given me anything and everything I could’ve possibly wanted in this life, plus things I couldn’t have dreamed up.

As my eyes finally drift shut, the unconditional love I have from them thrums through my soul and sends me peacefully into naughty dreams wrapped up in them.

Shit. I’ve done it again.

It’s been some time now that I’ve dream walked with someone.

The large white expanse is very different than the caves or minds I’m used to ending up in. Whoever this person is just sees rolling clouds all day.

“Hello,” I call out.

“Princess. Is there a reason you’re in my head?”

I whip around at the sound of Corentin’s voice and cock my head to the side.

“I honestly have no clue, your highness. You sure you’re not in mine?”

“I think that might be exactly where we are, Primary.”

Cas strolls his way up to us as his narrowed eyes scan our surroundings. I grow increasingly concerned and confused.

What in the realm is going on?

“That’s a good question, little warrior.”

“Oh, I bet she was having a seriously naughty dream and snatched us in here with her. That’s what it was, wasn’t it, little wanderer?”

“No, I don’t think— ”

“Hey, Mommy.”

My body startles as I spin on my feet. It’s still nothing but clear skies in front of me. A little giggle pulls my vision down.

Oh.

My gaze travels across the small girl with wild curls that twist and turn in a freeing mess made of chestnut, auburn, and dirty-blond streaks that frame her face.

“Oh,” I repeat out loud slowly, lowering myself to the child’s level. “Hi, sweetie. Are you okay?”

My soul sings as soon as my hand touches her shoulder. The shock that vibrates through my blood races to my heart and I suck in a shuddering breath.

“Oh my El—”

“Shush, Mommy, don’t say her name.” She giggles as she places her little finger to my lips. “Grandma Elma is going to be so mad at me.”

The laugh that keeps falling from her pulls a choked sob from my chest. My hand rises to rest against hers that’s still against my mouth and my breath whooshes out of me.

“Where are we? Are you okay?”

“Silly Mommy. Of course we’re fine. We’re in the beyond.”

My body suddenly weighs a thousand pounds as I sway harshly, but I don’t fall over. I get trapped in eyes that are as silver as mine, with a violet ring around the pupil.

“You’re…you’re our daughter.”

“That’s right.” She grins proudly, plopping her hands on her hips.

A hand lands against my thigh as I finally do crumble against the floor and my eyes turn to Corentin. His astonished, watery gaze is locked onto our little girl.

“Hey, Daddy.”

“Hey, my sunshine.”

Her squeal pierces my ears, and her arms fling around his neck. “You remembered?”

“I’ve never forgotten your light.”

Impossible .

My fingers tremble in my lap as she reaches her hand up to cup his cheek and he pokes her in the belly, making her giggle again.

It’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.

“This shit is crazy.”

A gasp flies out of her mouth, and she stomps her way to Draken. One little hand perches on her hip while the other shakes a finger at him. I quickly wipe away the single tear that falls from my eye, then cover my smile behind the back of my hand at the familiar sass.

“Language, Daddy. Shit is a bad word.”

“Uh!” Draken mocks as he swoops her into his arms and tickles her. “You just said the bad word.”

Her laughter turns into an excited shriek as he tosses her in the air. My heart drops to my stomach and my arms naturally shoot out to catch her on instinct. My gasp smoothers the sounds of her fun when she bursts into flames on her way back down to him.

“I’ll watch my mouth better, firefly.”

What is happening right now?

A voice clears beside Draken, and he passes our girl over to Tillman with a kiss to her cheek.

She’s so, so small in his hands.

“Don’t look in my head, Daddy. You’ll find answers you can’t know yet.” Her finger taps against his temple and his emerald eyes soften.

“I promise I won’t, little rebel.”

Her sigh wraps around us as she lays her head to his shoulder and my gorgeous giant melts. His eyes close and his body slumps. She’s reluctant to let him go, but when her feet touch the ground, a stare off commences.

My gaze bounces between her and Caspian. Both their narrowed eyes are so serious, so calculating.

Cas cracks first.

A slow smile starts to spread across his face. She matches it before she…poofs. Right out of thin air in a cloud of white smoke.

Somehow, he’s ready for it.

He spins so quickly and shoots his shadows out. They latch onto her as she laughs and falls into his chest .

“Almost, little shadow. We’re going to have to work on your sneaking skills.”

Oh no.

Corentin offers me his hand and helps me off the ground. My mind races on the miracle I’m watching. “What is going on?”

“Well—”

“ Prima unum .”

The other-realmly voice causes my little girl to shriek and grip me around the waist. My body whips around, ready as I hold her close to my back.

The sight before me has my knees nearly buckling.

“Elementra.”

The glowing orb grows and grows until a woman takes shape. The white dress flows to the ground and her rainbow hair that matches the swirl of the portals chases its length.

The silver eyes that flash open and meet mine are the brightest shade I’ve ever seen.

“Hello, Ultima unum .”

“What’s happening?” I whisper as my daughter slowly steps out from behind me.

There’s minimal, and I do mean the smallest amount of guilt on her face as she smiles sweetly at Elementra. Her little fingers tap on her lips like she’s trying to cover up the smirk, but it’s not working.

“Hey, grandma Elma.”

Elementra’s shoulders sag and a sigh leaves her lips. They’re turned up in the smallest of grins. “ Prima unum , we’ve talked about this. I thought we agreed you wouldn’t do this.”

“You agreed. I just nodded along.”

Draken snorts and we all shoot him a glare, to which he sheepishly, unconvincingly apologizes.

“What did she do?” I ask.

Elementra’s eyes land on mine and my heart fills with her love. The love she has for me, my men, and apparently, my daughter.

“Run along, Prima unum . I need a moment with your parents. ”

“See you in a few, Mommy. Bye, daddies.”

It takes considerable effort for me to let her go. My hand reaches for her the moment she skips away from me. “Bye, baby.”

“Let’s walk. There’re somethings I need to explain.”

I don’t hesitate to place my hand in her outstretched one. My men follow us silently as we prepare ourselves for whatever she’s about to say. After too long of the quietness, though, I break.

“You call her Prima unum . The First One.”

“That is correct. She is the first of many, many things.”

“Such as…”

She glances at me, then around at my Nexus. Her eyes linger the longest on Corentin.

“That day all those years ago, Willow, your soul touched the beyond. You did successfully use your blood to find me.”

My feet slam to a halt as my body startles, but she pats my hand and pulls me along.

“Not just your soul, though. You’d brought with you the four pieces that connect you to your Nexus. The pain you felt in those moments ricocheted across the fabric of this existence.”

My throat bobs as I swallow the lump forming. I’ve tried not to think about that moment in the last two hundred years. The grief I felt losing Corentin haunts me and him anytime something triggers it.

“When one of my creations pass on, their soul returns here, and a seed is planted from me. That seed sprouts into a new soul. I nurture it, take care of it, and grow it up strong into the person they’re going to be.”

My hearts races as I think back to a time long, long ago when Elementra told my mom my soul was with her in the beyond.

Asking a thousand questions.

“Our daughter. That’s our little girl’s soul.”

“Right you are, Caspian. What happened next, I never expected or saw coming. I honestly didn’t know what to do about it. So I just allowed whatever was going to happen, happen.

“As you split into the first layer of the beyond, your souls screamed out for Corentin’s the exact moment a seed was planted. The five pieces of you all latched onto it. That little soul sprouted up in seconds. It became a massive ball of light that zoomed across the beyond to find the source of that pain.

“She found Corentin running toward the barrier separating him from you four. Her orb grew larger as she responded to that call. She sucked up the power in the beyond. She was withdrawing all the power that lives here. I raced to stop her before she pulled you all through or destroyed the beyond. She did neither. She slammed into Corentin with all the power she had and shoved him back through.

“I stood frozen, waiting to see what she would do next. If she stepped through too, it would’ve crumbled the beyond. Crumbled our entire magical system. I would’ve had to stop her and destroy the being you all made. The energy radiating around her was a combination of the five of you and me. It was the purest form of power. There was no telling what she’d do with it, and I couldn’t allow her to cross over to the other side.

“Her little glowing orb turned toward me and slowly started to dim. A small body started to form as all the power receded back into the beyond. All but a tiny piece and a smirk remained once she was done. Again, I found myself so lost and the forces were giving me no direction to go. No sight of her whatsoever. Her growth was something I’d never seen in a soul before. It takes time to shape a person. I really had no clue what to do with her.

“I called all my daughters to me, including you. I need to see you and speak to you. I had to make sure whatever had just happened didn’t affect you. When we entered your subconscious and I found you there frantic for your Nexus member, I could feel his soul really was waiting for you. She’d done what’s never been done before. What’s never been allowed.

“Feeling the love and devotion pouring from you, for not only your Nexus but all who mean something to you, I knew whatever you and your Nexus’s souls had created could never be of harm to us. I just didn’t know anything about her other than she held a bigger piece of me than all souls do, but she was also already touched by you.

“For two hundred years now, I’ve loved on that little mischievous soul. She’s caused me more trouble than I’ve received in all my creation, but also, she’s brought me and the entire beyond the utmost amount of love. ”

Each step we take I grow dizzier. If not for her arm holding me, I wouldn’t be able to walk. My chest expands painfully from my breathing and from everything passing through my bonds from my men. I’m not sure how to process the fact that we did this.

I caused this.

I tore into the beyond, searching for my Nexus member, and ended up creating my own child.

“What do you mean by trouble? Is she going to be okay? No one’s trying to hurt her, right? They can’t hurt her here. She’s safe.” Corentin’s words fall out of him in a flurry of fear that spikes my own.

“You all can calm yourselves. She is perfectly fine. She is a perfect little ball of trouble that is so sweet and caring, it’s impossible to get mad when she breaks the rules.”

Her laugh does ease my worry, but it also doubles it.

What does this mean for when I have her? I do get to have her, right?

She’s mine. Ours.

“Of course, Ultima unum . I’d never keep her from you. She just still has some growing to do. And I was trying to give you all a little more time before I blessed you with her.”

Oh goodness. Why did she say it like that?

I swallow roughly. “What can she do?”

Her hum vibrates the ground we walk on. I hadn’t realized we’re no longer in that all white space. Grass is below our feet. “She can travel farther than any before her.”

“Wait, you and Willow’s mother have told her numerous times she’s the last of the line. Her traveling anywhere makes no sense.” Cas says.

“Growing up, Willow never knew if she wanted children. That choice varied greatly when she met all of you, but her deepest and darkest fear always remained the same. The thought of a daughter. I swore I’d not make that fear a reality. The line would end with her.”

My entire face pales as she calls me out on a secret I’ve always kept to myself. Part of me has always felt so guilty for feeling that, but the thought of having a girl who could ever possibly experience a fraction of what I went through scared the hell out of me .

The day Corentin died, I pictured both. A daughter and a son.

Children we’d never have because he was gone.

“ Prima unum won’t have the ability to open portals with her blood. That part of her design did stick with the pieces of me that she holds, but her soul can do so much more.”

My gaze follows the long expanse that she scans.

The answer clicks in my mind and my heart seizes in my chest. My words fall out of me in a breathy whisper.