Page 7 of Gift from the Source (Source of Elementra #5)

“You can’t look at it that way, princess. Firstly, remember that the vampires were locked in the forest because they were hurting innocent people in Elementra. Keeper was the minority who was locked away unjustly. Something we will continue to try to make right.

“Second, you aren’t doing this with evil or self-serving intentions. You’re doing this not only to protect Elementra but the Valorian Veil as well. They obviously have their own issues from what you’ve seen, but there’s no doubt, if the Summum-Master gets into their realm, they will have many more. And like you’ve said, it will bleed into all the realms,” Corentin says with steadfast confidence.

“This also doesn’t have to be forever, Primary. As soon as we wipe him from existence, we can return, and you can reopen these portals. Until then, they will be safe here,” Caspian tacks on and I release a shaky breath.

This isn’t forever.

“Okay. This is just for now,” I mumble.

“Just for now,” the four of them echo.

Their hands graze my body and I suck in a settling breath as we step up to the cascading branches of my tree. I hold onto their words like a lifeline and repeatedly tell myself the beings that are here will be okay, and I won’t make them wait long to return home.

“Go ahead, little warrior. We’ll be out here when you’re done,” Tillman says softly, parting the low-hanging branches for me to walk through.

I look over my shoulder at our family, who are both patrolling like he told them to and talking among themselves while they wait on me. They’re just as ready to get home as I am.

With a tight smile to my men and a pulse of assuredness through our bond, I walk through the opening. A sigh escapes me at the loving, familiar sight as the branches behind me close, concealing me from everyone’s view.

Kneeling in my spot, I place my hand on the trunk of my tree and look above me at the rays cutting through the small holes in the canopy. I let the warmth settle over me and replay a few blissful memories of the lessons I’ve learned here.

A small smile lingers on my lips as the happier times of my past soothe my racing heart, and with a deep breath, I open my pocket dimension.

The weight of my mom’s book halts the trembling in my hand, and I gently caress the Nexus mark across the cover.

“I couldn’t begin to tell you the lessons CC taught me here. There’re simply too many to count or recall right now, but having the opportunity to learn one from you here in this spot…it means the world to me, Momma,” I whisper to the cover as I lay my lips to it softly .

Laying the book down and pricking my finger, I recite the enchantment with a much smoother, stronger tone than I had the first time I did this.

“Air, earth, water, fire so bright,

Four elements pure and right.

Remember these with joy and cheer,

The elements become one, the world becomes clear.”

The magic pulses in the air around me, and when its strong presence simmers down, I open the cover. The pages flip of their own accord, landing on the page I need.

Welcome back, my little dragonfly.

Hey, Momma. I chuckle.

By now you’ve already put our little lesson on detecting the portals to good use. I remember the rush and shock I felt the first time I ever detected the many portals that had been opened in Elementra. I soon learned, the women in our family loved to wander the realms.

It’s not only a part of our nature, but our jobs.

I got to do my own adventuring a little in the time my Nexus and I had together in Elementra.

That’s a story for a later time, though.

“Of course it is.” I sigh softly, rolling my eyes.

So for our next lesson, we’ll learn how to open a portal to get into Elementra and how to close a portal.

Closing them is much easier and the same across the board. It doesn’t matter where that portal comes or goes. The process doesn’t change.

Now I know the question is on the tip of your tongue, so I’ll go ahead and spoil it. Opening a portal that’s already been created or creating one of your own to travel elsewhere will be our final section in our lesson on portals, then we’ll get into your gift, my girl.

My heart rate picks up speed once again with her written words. The thrill and need to know those answers are strong, but that’s my impatience to know all the secrets that make me, well, me. It’s been a burning desire that needs to be fed sooner rather than later, but I swallow it down and force myself to focus on the task at hand .

Getting our asses home.

Let’s start with closing since it’s the easiest of the two. Repeat after me. The same spell as before.

‘Release to me the ties of time and space,

Deliver the information for me to embrace.’

Just like the first time around, I don’t hesitate. I follow her directions.

A small gasp falls from my lips, but this time I was prepared for the information to fly in. There’s not nearly as much on this section as the last, so the pages self-turning doesn’t last as long nor does it make my mind feel like it’s melting from being overloaded.

Good, filia mea. Now you’ll hear the spell you must say and the steps you must take, but they’re also here for you to read once you’re ready. It’s written out in both the language now and Elema Lingua Vetus. It must be spoken in the language of old, though.

My eyes widen as I scan the words on the parchment and my fingers lightly trace the spell sitting there waiting for me. I’ve seen part of this saying before. Through the memory Elementra showed me of her escaping Franklin and coming home the first time.

Locus datus ab essentia mei. Per tempus et per spatium iter claudunt ad optatum locum.

“A place given by the essence of my being. Through time and through space, close the travel to their desired place,” I translate quietly now that the meaning of the Elema Lingua Vetus is clear.

Now that you know what to say, as I said, the process will never change.

Instead of slicing your palms in the traditional design of the Nexus mark, you will carve it the opposite way. Then you must detect the desired portal or portals you want to close just like you would normally, including reciting the spell to detect them. You don’t have to reword the spell. Any space made from our blood is a blessed place.

Once you sense the connection, you’ll say your closing spell and you’ll feel the connection of power snap back into you.

I’m grateful for her quick explanation of not having to reword the spell. Elementra knows CC has caught me up a couple times with that, so my first assumption was that I’d have to do that now.

Blowing out a breath, I rub my hands together for a moment, then gaze down at my palms. With a shift of my claw, I start my design where I always do, at the top of my palm underneath my middle finger. Then instead of going counterclockwise, I go clockwise.

Just like earlier this morning, I cup my hands as my blood begins pooling and open the earth beneath me. A few droplets slip through my palms and as soon as they soak into the dirt, I begin feeling the fabric of connections. So I sink my hands completely into the soil and recite the first spell.

“Passages through time and space, show me your travels through this blessed place.”

The ground trembles faintly as my magic spreads outward and my blood forms invisible vines through this realm just like it did in Elementra.

Unlike when I did this earlier in Elementra, this time when the first pulse hits me, it’s not a gentle breeze across my mind or a small surge of electricity. It’s a power-packed shock that seems to charge every cell in my body. It’s not painful in the slightest, but it’s a boost like I’ve never felt.

Shit. That’s the difference between a closed portal and an open one.

I have to remind myself repeatedly to breathe through it as my blood continues to travel this realm faster than the speed of light. Each portal I come across and lock onto energizes me more and more.

After a few consistent seconds of the vibrations beneath my skin thrumming evenly, I know we’ve reached the end of the lines across the nonmagical realm. There weren’t nearly as many portals here as there were in Elementra, but every one of them was open.

Deep breath.

“ Locus datus ab essentia mei. Per tempus et per spatium iter claudunt ad optatum locum .”

A grunt falls from my lips as the force of the connections slam into me all at once. I surely would’ve fallen over had it not been for my hands locking into the earth.

They’re tethered to the fabric of the realm as the power of the portals pours into me. I couldn’t pull them out right now no matter how much I wanted to .

I brace myself as the vibrations intensify like I’m finally reeling in the end of the rope. The second that last thread comes through my fingertips, the connection snaps and I fall into the trunk of my tree with a muttered—okay, screeched—fuck.

“Willow.” My name echoes in my mind from my men as I groan.

Pushing myself back up to my knees and holding my head, I take a second to catch my breath before responding, “I’m fine. Portals are closed.”

Their worry instantly eases and morphs into excitement for me, but I have to block the heady concoction out. I’m already full to the brim with power. I can’t take on any of their elated feelings.

“Damn, a warning would’ve been nice,” I mutter as I flip the pages of the book back open to where I was. “Okay, Momma, last step for now. I got to get my family home.”

Settling myself back on my knees, I take another deep breath, preparing myself for what happens next.

Now, opening a portal into Elementra. You’ve seen me do this before, but now you get to know step by step what I did. So get ready, my girl. This will be an abundance of knowledge hitting you at once. Again, repeat after me.

Oh, fuck me. At least she warned me this time.

Here goes nothing.

I say the spell that grants me my communal knowledge and yeah, it does more than hit me. It crashes into me like a wrecking ball.

I suck in a painful, struggling gasp as I clutch my head. The instructions mix with the memory of every step she took and it’s like my mind flips through years of books in the matter of seconds. I have to squeeze my eyes shut as they go crossed from how fast my brain is trying to keep up with the information being scripted into place.

My nausea and dizziness are overwhelming, but I gulp down air, begging for it to slow down the spinning in my mind. After a few torturous moments, it all begins to silence once again as the pages of the book stop flipping themselves and I blink my watery eyes open.

You heard me mutter the words, Locus datus ab essentia mei esse. Per tempus et per spatium, libera me in desideratum locum. It means ‘A place given by the essence of my being. Through time and through space, deliver me to the desired place.’

Elementra will always be your desired place, filia mea.

She is home.

I know you tried this before after watching me, but it failed. That’s because one, you weren’t fully bonded and two, you were already in your desired place. I wasn’t fully bonded either, but Elementra needed me home.

You won’t fail at this again.

Follow the steps I did. It’ll open a portal from anywhere and deliver you where you should be within Elementra.

You won’t be slicing both of your palms. Only your dominant hand. You’ll draw your Nexus mark like you would any other time, going counterclockwise, but you’ll carve it five times. Once for each member of the Nexus.

Then you’ll place your palm upon a surface and draw the mark with your blood as you recite the spell.

You’re the daughter of many, my girl, and we all have faith in you.

It’s time to return home now.

We’ll talk next lesson.

Momma, xoxo.

I reread the words repeatedly, even though I don’t have to. They’re so permanently inked into my mind, just the thought of them brings them to the surface. I just want a minute to cherish her words and teachings.

As I slowly start closing the book, the words begin to disappear as the enchantment weaves itself back in place. I bring the bound leather to my lips and breathe in the scent of rain, letting it seep into my soul.

“Until next time,” I mumble as I open my dimension up.

The swirling silver stares back at me as I retract my empty hand, and I smirk at it. Gaster’s lesson on making this will always be one of my fondest memories and I’m so thankful for it.

I really am the daughter of many. And they’ve all taught me so much.

The smile on my lips lingers as I close my eyes and reach out to my men, who are trying their hardest to wait patiently. “Everyone ready to go home?”

“Yes,” all four of them practically shout, and I chuckle lightly .

The sound is abruptly cut off, though, as a loud hoot that’s far too close to me has my eyes flying open, hands flying up, and my elements stirring from the shock.

Everything within me, other than my eyes, freezes at the sight in front of me.

There’s no mistaking that I’ve seen this creature once before. Their size has changed from the larger version I saw through my mom’s eyes hundreds of years ago, to the maybe six or seven inches they stand now. Every other majestic feature is the same.

The feathers closer to its body are grayish white but merge at the bottom into an ombre of indigo. Their piercing bright teal eyes are full of life and intelligence. I know by falling into the depths of them, they may be all creature, but they’re wise beyond my understanding.

“Hello, Ultima unum.”

I startle at the unknown male’s voice in my head and although I look everywhere around me, I’m fully aware the voice belongs to the owl in front of me.

“Uh, hi. And you are?” My tone holds far more confusion than I meant for it to.

“A friend. You’ve closed the portals in this realm. It is time.”

“Time for what exactly?”

“Many, many things,” he says cryptically.

Sighing, I deflate from my tense position and continue to study the owl, who studies me in return. The longer I gaze at him in his eyes, though, I already know he’s no threat. He’s here to guide.

“You saw my mom, years ago. At an oak tree. Did you speak to her as well?” I ask.

“An oak that has become a willow…” He cranes his head around, almost all the way around, examining the tree. “Yes, I did. I will always connect to the filiae when needed.”

“Filiae? What?” I ask, utterly lost.

“You will learn soon enough. It’s time for us to go now. I will be going with you. It is time for me to return home as well.”

“Elementra is your home? ”

“Home away from home if you will,” he says with a sarcastic little hoot and I sigh.

Always the riddles.

Waddling closer to me, all I can do is stare down and after a moment, he—I swear—hoots in annoyance, then flies up until he’s perched on my shoulder. I have no clue what to do, so I freeze in my spot.

“Open the portal, young Willow. Just as your mother did, you shall do the same,” he orders.

“Okay then,” I mumble.

What is happening right now?

Shaking the confusion from my mind, I tell myself that we’ll worry about my new little friend when we finally get home.

I rotate between flexing my fingers out and twisting them together, gathering the courage to do what I already know I can. My nerves and excitement mingle, making me jittery with both exhilaration and anticipation.

Shifting the claw on my right hand so I can slice my left, I smile up at my willow once more.

Home sweet home. Here we come.

There’s a shift of power in the air the moment I finish my first layer of the Nexus mark and it intensifies with every stroke along my palm. The difference in the intentions of opening a portal compared to closing one is obvious. I have no doubt my family behind the branches sense the pulse of magic.

Until this final layer, my blood stayed confined within the lines I drew of the mark, but as soon as my points touch on this fifth and final design, the dam overflows.

The warm, sticky red flows through my fingertips, down my forearm and onto the ground. Everything trembles as the drip continues, but as soon as I lay my bloody palm to the yellowish-brown bark, it all falls unnaturally still.

Counterclockwise and speak the enchantment .

Inhale. Exhale.

“ Locus datus ab essentia mei esse. Per tempus et per spatium, libera me in desideratum locum .”

As soon as the words leave my lips and my points meet together, raw power blasts through the trunk of my tree like I just set off a bomb. I snatch my hand back and raise my arm to protect my face, whilst my little owl friend hoots and flaps his wings in my hair.

The surge of power doesn’t settle, rather it clings to me like a second skin. The raging wind it brought with it fades just as fast as it came and I slowly turn my head back to face my tree. My eyes immediately start watering as I stare into the gorgeous swirling rainbow and the feeling of home washes over me.

“I did it,” I breathe.

“You did. Now go gather your family. It’s time to go,” the owl says when I turn my head to look at him, then he lays his forehead to mine and hoots.

Standing, with a prideful laugh on my lips, I command my earth element to part the branches of my tree for me and I rush out. Every head turns toward me the second I step through the coverage, and their eyes bounce between myself and the owl on my shoulder. Then they catch sight of the colorful, powerful portal behind me.

“You did it,” every single one of them whispers.

“Let’s go,” I say with a huge smile that causes everyone to erupt in a cheer.

My men have me squashed between them in milliseconds, but the ear-piercing squawk has them stepping back, staring in confusion.

“Primary, you know there’s an owl on your shoulder, right?” Cas asks.

“I’m well aware. He hasn’t given me his name yet, but he’s coming with us.”

“He speaks to you?” Corentin asks skeptically as if I’ve finally lost my mind.

“Of course. This little beasty could compete with Tanith on knowledge as well as power,” Draken says so confidently, we all whip our heads to him, but he’s engrossed in the owl.

The little bird has no reservations hopping from my shoulder to Draken’s outstretched hand. Then maneuvers his way up until he’s nuzzling into Draken’s head. My dragon man beams like he’s been given a plate of pastries but doesn’t bother giving anyone any explanation.

“Right…We’ll figure that out at home. Let’s move,” Tillman orders, turning me back around toward the portal.

“She will need to go last so it will seal when she passes through.”

My men tense at both the owl’s voice inside their minds and the thought of me passing through the portal after everyone, but I send them a hefty dose of reassurance and nod at each of them.

“It’ll be fine. I’ll be two seconds behind you if that,” I say.

Tillman’s face is stern, but his soft eyes trace every inch of me before nodding in return. “Ry, you and your Nexus take point, followed by Codi’s and Carrington. Gaster, Keeper, then Lyker’s. We’ll follow behind.”

I hold my breath as Ry links his fingers with Oakly and drags her to the front with him. She isn’t the least bit scared or nervous as she blows me a kiss and wave as she walks right through the portal with her growly man.

Each member of my family that passes through has the chokehold on my chest loosening and I cling to the knowledge that they’re fine on the other side. Home and safe.

“Okay, Draken, you and the bird,” Tillman says, earning himself a flurry of hoots.

“This bird could eat you if he wanted to.” Draken chuckles before giving me a quick, fiery kiss. “See you on the other side, little wanderer.”

I melt at his wink as he and our new owl step through without a hitch, then I’m swept up in shadows.

“You’re incredible, Primary.”

“So are you,” I whisper against his lips as he leans in close.

With a dark, teasing chuckle, he kisses me on the corner of my mouth, then falls backward into the portal. I swear I can hear his laugh fade through time. A rock-hard chest stops me as I unconsciously lean toward the sound and a tilt of my chin has me falling into a sweet glass of whiskey.

“Princess.”

“Your highness.”

His soft smile has my heart pounding against my ribs and when he lays his lips so gently to mine, I nearly float away.

“I’ll see you in a minute,” I mumble as my cheeks redden at the look on his face. His hungry eyes never leave mine, and my arm stretches out as far as it can to hold his hand until he backs all the way into the portal.

Last but not least, my gentle giant wraps his hand around the back of my neck and presses our foreheads together.

“I’m so proud of you, Will. Everything you’ve done, accomplished today has been breathtaking. You should be so proud of yourself.”

“I am. I really am.”

“Good,” he says quietly before he kisses me so fiercely, it takes my breath away. “I’ll be waiting for you right on the other side, little warrior.”

My tongue is so tied I can’t do anything but nod and he graces me with a small laugh as he too steps through the portal.

Those men, I swear.

Releasing my breath, I take one last look around my tree and pull my shoulders back.

My turn.

“Willow, wait…” CC says softly, halting me in my tracks.

His voice is so clear, I whirl around because I could’ve sworn he said it from behind me.

“What’s…Why did that sound so different?”

“There’s something I can show you, filia mea.”

“Can it wait like two seconds?”

“It can, of course. That’s your choice, my girl. This memory is a piece of my own and the other…is a piece tied to the tree. You don’t have to see if you don’t wish to. That’s okay,” he says gently, but I don’t miss the sad undertone.

Either he doesn’t want me to see this but can’t say that or he’s worried I don’t want to see.

My gaze bounces from the portal to the remaining pieces of the trunk that I can still make out. Then to the ground where we spent so much time together learning. All our memories we shared here.

Even if my curiosity wasn’t burning like an inferno inside of me right now, I’d still want whatever this piece of him is.

“Show me.”