Image (Insight #3)(28)
Landen rolled his eyes, finding Drake’s words childish. “I know without a doubt that Dane’s soul belongs to my sister Clarissa – just as I know that Willow’s belongs to me. Dane’s sun is water; the closer he is to her, the better,” he said in a casual tone.
As he heard Landen’s words, Drake’s eyes turned a shade darker. “You’d think that she’d only need you; that if you were her soulmate, you’d be able to satisfy her needs without the help of another man,” he said as his eyes stared through Dane.
Marc began to rush at Drake, but Landen blocked his way. August stood, prepared to block Drake, but Drake didn’t move - he just smiled impishly.
“Why are the two of you determined to give this darkness the anger it needs?” August said, looking back and forth between Marc and Drake.
“I’m not angry; it just doesn’t make any sense to me,” Drake said, moving his hand to cover his flawless grin.
Landen stood in front of Marc and stared at Drake. “I don’t care who I have to ask to protect her – I love her that much. If the time comes that I need you – if I have to watch her in your arms just to assure myself she’s safe – then I’ll endure it; in fact, I’d even beg you to do so...if you call that willpower, then I’d say that I do have more than you,” he said.
I heard the truth in every single one of Landen’s words.” I love you,” I thought.
Landen smiled as he heard my thoughts, then walked behind the couch I was sitting on and leaned over. I looked up, and he kissed my lips softly and thought, “I love you.” He then glanced at Drake and patted Dane on the shoulder and moved him closer to me before returning to the table where Perodine stood. I looked across the room at Drake to find him staring at me with eyes that were engulfed in pain.
“Why am I here again?” Drake said into the room. “All of you fear that there’s something that could hurt me worse than this.”
“Do you want that darkness to consume you again?” August asked Drake.
“I don’t know what would be worse,” Drake answered.
“The darkness – I promise,” August said, moving to Drake and letting his hand rest on Drake’s shoulder to comfort him.
Drake turned to stare at the flames. The silent girl at Beth’s side stood; I could feel her intent of preparing dinner for us. I looked to the windows behind us; the sun was beginning to fall, signifying that the hour that Venus would test me was moving closer - faster than I thought.
“August, maybe you should sleep again to see if you dream of Nyla,” Landen said.
August looked up from Drake and nodded. Beth stood, making room for August to lie down. When he stretched out, I could feel his emotions of worry and anxiety hindering him from falling asleep. I moved away from Dane and sat on the floor beside August, and he reached his hand out for mine. Landen started to make his way to us, but I shook my head no.
“Save your energy,” I thought, “I can do this.”
Landen nodded and walked back to Perodine’s side, pushing Marc to follow him. They then took a seat at the table. I could feel Drake’s eyes on me, and I stared at him as I pushed a peace through August. At that moment, I wanted more than anything to bring a peace to Drake, but I knew that was impossible - and my intent was making Landen uneasy. I let my eyes fall to the floor and thought of Nyla and the rest of our family. I let everything I loved about them – particularly the peace I felt from having them in my life – come to me. August eventually submitted to my emotion and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Chapter Seven
I moved back to Dane’s side and stared at August as he dreamed. I focused on his emotion, trying to prepare myself for what I’d do if I felt grief or fear. The minutes moved forward, and August’s peace relaxed me. I felt my eyes become heavy, and the calm of sleep came to me. As Landen picked me up, I was startled awake.
“Shh...sleep...I’ll be there in a minute,” he thought.
He carried me across the hall to the servant’s room, and Marc and Dane followed him. They leaned against the wall as Landen laid us across the small bed. A moment later, he calmed himself into a sleep. We rose next to our bodies. At the foot of our bed, we let our hands melt into one another. Marc was right: Landen’s aura had dimmed throughout the day; I knew he needed all the energy I could give him. It was just now dusk in Delen, and we both thought this would be the last time we’d be able to rest until my birth hour the next day at seven nineteen at night.
I suppressed my fears about the safety of my family; in the back of my mind, I knew the only things I was relying on were my insight and the reassurance of Perodine’s words. I knew I wouldn’t find relief from my doubt until they all stood in front of me once again.
We let hours slip by. Marc and Dane had drifted into a peaceful sleep; we knew they needed their rest to gain strength as well. When Landen’s Aura had resumed its bright light and the line that connected us had grown stronger, he let his hands emerge from mine. As the sensation left me, I looked into his eyes; the blue was so perfect, and the eyes of his soul gleamed in the darkness. I could feel Landen’s resolve; he felt stronger and was ready to face what was still before us.
“We’ll be OK,” he thought, smiling.
I nodded and woke, and he opened his eyes next to me. I leaned up and let my lips rest on his, taking in his warmth and the emotion of being complete in his arms. He pulled me closer to him.