Enflame (Insight #6)(61)

As his eyes found mine, he gave me a faint smile. “Would you leave here with me if I asked you? Would you go to Hell’s gate and knock on the door without hesitation?”

I reached to trace his jawline with my fingertips as I searched deep into the eyes that had always been my hope, my peace. “I would...but I would never let you forget Chara, your family...our beginning.”

He pulled me to him and leaned his forehead against mine, then raised one hand to my chest and painfully said, “This is my home.”

His other hand caressed my sides. “They’re going to want me to throw all this to the side. Focus on Chara this war in Esterious. They won’t see that it connects. That I’m pulled to more than one fate, and that right now I don’t know which one is more important.”

I was a little lost on that statement. Our family was opened minded, they were not ones to say let it be, they were fixers, too. I assumed this was stemming from Landen’s father. The man that wanted us to reside in Chara and Chara alone.

“What is import is what you feel called to. It may all be the same fate.”

“You’re what is important. Us. None of the expectations before us will hold any water if there is no us.”

“There is an us.”

“Willow you’re in pain. I can see that. You cringe with each new emotion.”

“Maybe so, but I’m not the only one in pain. You are, too. We’ll figure it out. Together.”

His warm breath gliding across my face and the hum of energy moving through my chest made me want to run away with him, leave it all behind and never come back.

“Just don’t let this new insight imprison you…take you away from the good energy in the world.”

I moved my head side to side to tell him that was not going to happen. I saw doubt in his eyes.

My fingertips reached to trace the lines of the dimples that refused to show themselves. “Don’t dread seeing them. You’ll feel better once you do,” I said in response to his disbelief and dread. His energy intensified as I continued. “And if you don’t, I’m sure Saige would love to have me over for dinner.”

My fake pleasant tone made him smile. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me the last few steps to our home passage.

As we went to step into our passageway, Ashten emerged, followed by Brady. Both Ashten and Landen shared an unmistakable silence and disbelieving stare. Ashten’s eyes then narrowed as he tilted his head and looked over his son.

“Every time,” he said in a near absent voice. “Every time I watch you walk out that door, I tell myself, ‘He’ll never come back, this is it’...and every time, you prove me wrong.” He took a step toward Landen, bringing them both eye-to-eye. “Promise to prove me wrong every time, and I’ll never stand in your way. I’ll never judge you for what you do, or do not do, what you were, are, or will become.”

Landen offered a slight nod. It was all he could force himself to do. Inside, his emotions were raging in every imaginable direction.

Ashten cleared his throat and glanced back at Brady as he took a step past Landen. “Your brother and I are going to try and line up a ship with a passage. It’s the only way Draven can arrive at the appointed time. We could use your help.”

As Ashten started to walk away, Brady nodded for Landen to follow him.

“Help them. I want to see my sister,” I said to help urge him to go on.

“Our Libby,” he thought.

“Take my Jeep. It’s right there,” Brady said to me, grateful that I was giving Landen an excuse to spend time with them.

I smiled at Landen and waved at Brady, leaving them to work out whatever they needed to.

It was late here, almost ten at night. I wasn’t even sure Libby would be awake for me to see her, but I thought I could at least let my parents know that I was okay.

All the lights were on at their house. It looked so warm and inviting from the outside. As I walked up the sidewalk to their porch, memories of my home in Franklin began to flash through my mind.

I smiled, noticing the familiar fall decor marking the entrance. My mother always decorated our home with the mark of the season. It was hard to believe those memories fluttering in my mind were only a few months ago, that my life had changed this much. One day I was their little girl, the next I was gone. My childhood was over.

Through the glass panes around my door I could see my parents sitting on the couch with Libby between them, lost in a book with her. I had to bite back my emotions and find my balance. The emotion of home, simplicity, and peace was nearly overwhelming.

When I opened the door, Libby unraveled herself from her little blanket and ran to me, yelling my name. I knelt down to catch her.

“It’s past your bedtime,” I said, leaning away from her and straightening her nightgown.

“Mom lets me stay up because I rest in the day.”

I swallowed nervously and glanced at my parents, who were now standing a few feet behind her. “I heard.”

Libby’s eyes grew wide, like she had just remembered something. “I made you something. Come on,” she said, pulling my hand. My parents gave me a relieved smile as I was pulled out of the room and up the stairs to Libby’s room.

I sat on her small bed and watched her open her window seat box and meddle around, tossing aside dolls and toys. She was six in that moment, my baby sister who was eager to try and do anything.