Image (Insight #3)(43)

“I know you hate me telling you that there’s a reason for everything – but there is. I want you to think of Libby – our Libby – and think of Allie. I want Brady to know that we did everything in our power to keep her safe. Preston, his life has been tested already; he deserves a chance to fill his purpose. You have to put your thoughts there. This isn’t about who you love or how much you love them – this about a way of life for more people then we could ever imagine.”

As his words consumed me, I let out a breath that I’d been holding in. I then nodded as I set my intent to protect them, to protect their purpose at any cost. As he felt it, Landen smiled and pulled my face to his; he then let his lips rest gently on mine before he kissed me. I felt myself growing stronger in his embrace; he sent a calm through me that was hypnotic.

As he released me, he stared in my eyes, and I could see his Aura growing brighter, wider, and more powerful that it had been the entire time we’d been there.

“How are you doing that? “ I thought, smiling slightly.

“Following Drake’s lead; calling on my memories of you and me,” he thought.

My smile left; I was relieved that Landen was able to make himself stronger with a single thought, but I didn’t want to give Drake’s memories any reality.

“They’re not of me,” I thought quietly.

Landen tilted his head and looked at me curiously, then smiled slightly. “You think you have a twin,” he thought. I nodded. “ I do, too,” he thought.

“You believe the ‘bad soulmate’ story?” I thought.

“I don’t know. They believe it; there’s no doubt there. It’s just...that image you saw me with looked just like you,” Landen thought.

“I didn’t think so; I didn’t recognize her,” I thought as the dark memories of Landen holding another girl the day we destroyed the looking glass came to me with a surge of jealousy.

“To me, she did,” Landen thought, sending a rush of his love through his arms, which were holding me close to him.

“I want to find her – if you think she’s real,” I thought.

“When that wall falls, I’ll take you wherever you want to go,” he thought.

I looked in Dane’s direction. I thought about going to the string anyway, but the memory of the screaming voices of my family hindered my desire.

“I know they’re OK,” Landen thought, sensing my uneasiness. “And I know I can heal Drake – or myself. We’re going home, and we will beat this demon.”

“I hear the truth in your words, and I feel your confidence, but I know that there’s still a chance...this is not a game...someone could lose their life.” I let my fear show itself in my eyes.

“Trust me, Willow.”

“I want to talk to him; I want to see where they’re reading this,” I thought.

Landen smiled slightly and nodded, then I climbed out of his arms and stood. Dane and Marc turned when they heard us move. Landen then took my hand and led me back to the study, with Dane and Marc following silently behind us.

Chapter Eleven
In the study, they were all standing around the table. Drake was in the center, and his arms were stretched out in front of the scroll; he looked like a king sending his army to battle. August and Alamos were at his side, and Perodine was pacing in front of them. As we walked in, Drake looked up. His eyes met Landen’s, then locked with mine; he was trying to read me, to see if they’d convinced me to kill him.

As I came to her side, Perodine halted and watched, I looked into her beautiful green eyes and felt the sympathy she had for me. She wanted to bear the burden; she blamed herself for all my troubles.

I stood across the table mirroring Drake. Landen was at my side Dane, and Marc flanked us. Perodine slowly walked to Alamos’ side, trying to gauge my mood.

“Show me,” I said, blankly looking down at the scrolls.

August cleared his throat and reached his hand for the center of the scroll, then pointed at the planet they thought was Venus. “This is Venus. The number nineteen is all over the image, a number that can be only divided by itself and one. This symbol,” August said, pointing to a figure of two eights in the shape of a cross, “means ‘inferior sister;’ in broken translation, we can interpret earth and Venus, the alignment, and the number nineteen. Below this in the script, it says, ‘It shall consume the blood of Jayda and subdue the power.’” August pointed above Venus; there, I could see the symbol of a fish with a hand and script. “This script says, ‘Only in flesh shall it die, with the blade of diamonds.’ I can’t find a way to debate this.”

“Does the nineteen mean more?” Dane asked.

August looked slowly up at Dane. “One and itself. Willow represents this number; she can only be divided by herself and one soul. It will have no choice but to leave one standing before her – to consume the soul and overtake her.”

“How do you know you’re reading the script right? What if you’re wrong? ” I argued.

Perodine sighed and closed her eyes. “We are more than sure,” she said, keeping her eyes closed, struggling to hide her frustration with me.

“You’re out of time; we’ve made the choice for you,” Alamos said sternly.

“You need to change your tone,” Dane said, looking sharply at Alamos. He then looked at Drake and said, “You may want to rethink your alliances; this one seems all too eager to see you die.” The sarcasm was heavy in his tone.