Chapter 27 Willow
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Willow
We only have to wait for about ninety seconds before three large silhouettes come into view from behind the peak of the mountain.
I watch in awe as they move closer, circling as they approach.
Their wing spans must be over fifteen feet wide.
Their beautiful brown and white feathers shine as they dip down and land in a line in front of Bo.
“Wow,” I whisper as Ronan grabs my hand and leads me toward the center one.
“This is Valor,” Ronan introduces us as he takes my hand and places it on the top of the bird's beak.
“Hi, Valor. You’re a pretty boy, aren’t you?” He dips his head and presses his beak further into my hand.
“He likes you,” Ronan says with a smile. Pointing to Bo on our left he tells me, “That’s Tilly, and Hawk’s skyreacher is called Sky. But you’ll be riding with me and Valor today.”
I watch the other two greet their birds then they all grab their saddles and start attaching them to their skyreachers. Once done, Ronan grips me by the waist and lifts me up high onto Valor’s back. He quickly climbs up behind me and wraps one arm tightly around my waist.
It doesn’t take long for the three birds to take off, and within moments, we’re flying over the water as I grip the saddle tightly.
“We’re so high,” I say in alarm. Even if it is water below, I’m not sure I’d survive a fall from this height.
“I would never let you fall,” Ronan says before kissing the side of my neck.
It takes me a bit of time, but after about ten minutes, I finally start to relax a little and enjoy it. The skyreachers move so gracefully, it's hard not to be impressed by them.
“You know,” Ronan says, as his thumb moves back and forth across my stomach. “I had hoped when I’d be making this return trip across the sea, I would be bringing something special with me. Something to save our land and help our home. But I never imagined just how incredible it would be.”
He kisses my cheek before continuing. “I hope you know that even without your magic, all of that would still be true.”
I tilt my head back so he can see the genuine smile on my face. “Ronan, you guys chose me long before any of us knew I had that ability. Since the moment I met you, you’ve been taking care of me.”
He dips his head and gives me a brief kiss, looking satisfied when he sees the lust on my face.
“We can’t risk falling, my tiny treasure. But don’t worry,” he turns his gaze to the sky in front of us. “We have a large forest to regrow.”
I’m unsure what he means until I remember that sex is what ignites my powers. And since they have a lot of dead land, there is sure to be a lot of sex in my very near future.
We spend the rest of the journey in a pleasurable silence, and when Ronan points to the specs of land in the horizon, nerves start to coil in my belly.
“That’s home,” he tells me as we soar toward it.
My father is a terrible human being, and even the other parents on the compound had been strict and distant with their own children.
A big part of me knew that wasn’t right, and I’d always thought if I was ever to be a mother, I would never treat my kids that way, but a smaller part of me fears that’s how all parents are.
Bo and the others assure me that his parents are great, but that could be a relative term. Great to them might just mean that they didn’t try to sacrifice them, like my father had planned to do to me.
As the island grows closer, some of my apprehension is shoved aside to make way for awe.
The island looks incredible. There’s a variety of terrain, from tall peaks on the south coast, to what looks to possibly be beaches on the North.
The center is lush and green and there isn't a building in sight.
“Hey, Ronan?” I say over my shoulder, finally ready to ask questions about my new home now that the Mating Hunt is finally over.
“Yes, my love?”
“What is your house like? Like where do you live and sleep and stuff?”
“Have we not told you?” he asks in confusion.
I shake my head. “You’ve told me about the people, and the forests and I know you live together, but for all I know, you live in a tent.”
He releases a small chuckle behind me, his thumb moving again on my stomach. “We’re so close. I think it would be better to wait and show you.”
“Fine,” I say, not entirely put off by that. It doesn't matter if we live around a campfire in the middle of the woods, as long as they’re with me.
“I will be staying with you, right?” I ask, suddenly nervous there are some unknown rules here that would make me need to stay on my own.
He hugs me tighter against him. “Of course. You will never spend a day or night without us. Our home is your home now.”
“And Bo’s parents won’t think it’s strange? Me living with you so quickly?”
“It is normal in this world,” he explains. “Especially for fated mates. What’s bothering you?” he asks as we fly closer and closer to my new home.
“I wasn’t sure if I had to stay somewhere else until we’re married. It’s like that where I’m from.”
“You’re already ours,” he reassures me. “The wedding is merely a visual celebration of our commitment in front of our village.”
“I love you, Ronan,” I say, unable to hold the words back, even if I wanted to.
He kisses me again and smiles. “I love you too, Willow. What do you say? You ready to go home?” We look toward the island that now takes up the entire horizon and I nod.
“Yep, take me home.”
I expect us to veer toward the high peaks but instead the birds dip down toward the center of the island and the large sandy beach, where they finally land.
Ronan quickly slips off Valor’s back then reaches up and pulls me off. Immediately, he removes the saddle, thanks the bird, and it takes off, followed by Tilly and Sky as they head toward the peak in the South.
I glance up and down the beach and smile. “This looks nice.”
“It’s great for swimming,” Bo says as he comes over and gives me a hug and a kiss. Hawk does the same before they lead me down a small path that leads into the forest.
“How far is your village?” I ask after a few minutes.
“Not far,” Bo says from in front, sounding excited. “We’re almost there now.”
I start to hear a couple of voices in the distance, then the trees thin and small wooden structures start to come into view.
When we step out of the forest into a large clearing, my eyes move everywhere, unsure where to look. It’s definitely primitive compared to my old world, but the buildings made of wood look sturdy and well built.
There are half a dozen people meandering around, all who look at us in surprise. My hand in Ronan’s squeezes tightly with worry until the stranger's expressions turn excited and people start yelling out their names in greeting.
They say hello to a few people but don’t stop as they walk through what I suppose is their version of main street.
“Sorry, we must meet with Torran before we stop,” Ronan tells a few people who ask who I am. It makes me nervous that they aren’t introducing me, but I notice everyone who sees us starts to follow until we arrive at a large clearing where there are many more people around.
A slightly older man looks our way, his eyes widening before he turns to the two men beside him and says loudly, “Our sons have returned. Go get Miryam and tell the others.”
The two men run off as the man walks toward us, meeting us halfway across the clearing as he yanks Bo into a tight embrace that almost looks painful.
He laughs happily and pulls back, holding him by his shoulders as he looks him up and down as if assessing for damage. “You look good, son.” His eyes lift to meet Ronan’s then Hawk’s and he nods. “You all do. Tell me, are you all well?”
“Better than well,” Bo says and I can hear the happiness in his voice.
“So you were successful?” the man asks in hope.
“We should wait until the others arrive before we explain,” Ronan tells him. When he moves to look at Ronan, he catches sight of me and his eyes widen comically before his jaw drops open, making Bo laugh.
“Yeah, we have a lot to tell you, Dad.”
“I can see that,” the man says, staring at me and the way I’m clutching Ronan’s hand. I wrap myself around Ronan’s arm as he continues to stare, feeling the need to be closer to him. The man, who must be one of Bo’s dads, smiles, a huge grin covering his face.
“Where is he?” a woman yells from the side. I glance around Hawk and see an older woman practically running with three men surrounding her as she searches the street. When her eyes land on Bo, they widen. “My boy! You’re really here!” she exclaims, all but throwing herself on him.
“Hello, Mother.”
“I’ve been so worried. Are you okay? You look thin. Have you not been eating enough? I’ll cook your favorite meal for you tonight. Would you like some apple pie? What am I saying, of course you would!”
“Mother, calm yourself,” Bo chuckles, grabbing her arms as he tries to soothe her. “There is plenty of time for celebration. After all, we have plenty to celebrate.”
“We do?!” she asks excitedly.
“You found it then?” one of the men standing with her asks.
“Let me say hello to my other sons first,” Miryam says, ignoring the man who is probably one of her husbands as she steps around Bo to embrace Hawk.
He hugs her back, a little awkwardly, before she opens her arms out to Ronan.
She doesn’t even seem to notice me, still wrapped around one of his arms as he gives her a one-armed hug.
When she pulls back, she’s smiling at Ronan, then her gaze shifts to me.
Her eyes widen, just as her husband’s do, as she stares at me and the way I’m holding Ronan. I probably look a bit terrified right now, but this woman was like a giant ball of energy, and I was afraid to get in her wake.
None of my guys say anything as we stare at one another for what feels like minutes but is probably only a few seconds. Then she gasps dramatically. “No! Is it true?” She looks up and Ronan then turns back to Bo. “Is she—”