Image (Insight #3)(6)

“What’s going on?” Landen asked Chrispin.

“Preston and Libby told your dad to make everyone on this side of Chara move for three days; they told them to go to Olence. Do you know what they’re talking about?”Chrispin asked, bewildered.

“We have to return to Delen with Mark and Dane and take the rest of you to Pelhan,” Landen answered.

“What? You’re not hiding me away and taking Marc off to battle; I should be there – wait, why Dane?” Chrispin asked, feeling betrayed.

“I didn’t choose; that’s what Perodine said. Look, Donalt is in-between, like your Dad - only in a dark way; he’s the threat this time. I have to listen to Perodine’s advice,” Landen said, pulling me to our Jeep. “I need you to get everybody here for me; I’ll get Nyla and Marc,” he finished as we began to pull away.

Chrispin nodded and ran to his Jeep, then drove off in the other direction. Landen stopped at our house and ran in to grab our bags, then we sped through the streets to Marc’s house. All of their lights were out, and we could feel the calm of sleep coming from them. I felt so guilty; we were about to charge in and separate them after they’d had only days to know one another.

“If he wants to stay with her, then I’m going to tell him to,” Landen said as we turned into Marc’s yard.

I knew Perodine believed that the Cancers would protect us, but I didn’t want to ask either of them to return with us. I let the intent of giving Dane a choice to stay, too, come to me, and Landen smiled as he sensed it. We hesitated for a moment, staring at the dark house, feeling the love between Stella and Marc; it was so beautiful. Landen sighed heavily, then opened the Jeep door. I followed him anxiously to the porch.

Landen knocked quietly on the door, and we waited. We then felt them waking up, wondering who had the boldness to disturb them. Marc opened the door and squinted in our direction, then closed it behind him, keeping us all on the porch. “It’s a little late for a visit, don’t you think?” he said, stretching and smiling at Landen. When Landen didn’t smile back, Marc knew something was wrong. “Already?” he asked.

Landen nodded. “Three days. Perodine told us to take our families to Pelhan and return with you and Dane,” he said, looking down, then up again.

“What did Drake do? Is my mother OK?” Marc asked, angry.

“It’s Donalt, not Drake; apparently, he doesn’t feel his time is over. Marc, you don’t have to come to Delen with me, but you have to at least go to Pelhan - for your safety.”

“Oh, I’m going with you - and don’t try and talk me out of it,” Marc said, opening the door to gather his things. Landen reached for his shoulder and looked past him; Stella had come to see who was there.

“You need more time. I’ll be fine,” Landen promised.

“I’m going,” Marc said, closing the door.

Landen sighed and pulled my hand for us to leave. As we drove to get Nyla, I tried to prepare myself for her reaction when we told her that she wasn’t going to see August for three days; I couldn’t envision her without her overwhelming calm.

When we got to her house, Nyla was standing on the front porch with two travel bags at her feet and two large books in her arms. As Landen pulled up to the porch, I stepped out and took the books from her arms. Both of them were no less than six inches thick, the pages were yellow, and the leather on the covers had worn on every edge. Landen walked around and loaded the bags.

“Where are you supposed to take me?” she asked, feeling somewhat excited.

“To Pelhan. Who told you to pack?” Landen asked, opening the backdoor for her to get in.

“I knew when you left here with that scroll that the influence of Venus was sure to begin.”

After making sure Nyla was safely in the Jeep, Landen pulled the note August had given him out of his pocket. He looked at the titles, then walked to me, took the top book, and checked the title. He did the same with the second. “These are the ones,” he whispered, shaking his head. I could feel a sense of betrayal coming from Landen; he felt like this when we’d first met: that his family had him on a need-to-know basis.

“Best intentions,” I thought.

“I hope so,” he thought, opening my door. I climbed in, and he set the books gently on my lap, then closed the door.

Nyla slid to the center of the back seat and leaned forward so she could see me. I looked to my side at her, then down to the books in my lap.

“What are these?” I asked timidly.

Nyla stretched her arm forward and let her fingertips trace over the worn leather corners. Landen climbed in and began to drive us to the passage. “This one is of my ancestors; the one on the bottom is Karsten’s ancestors,” she answered. I looked at Landen; Karsten was my grandfather, which meant that in my lap I held the history of both Landen and my bloodlines.

“You’re both from Analess?” Landen said, confused by Nyla’s answer.

“Yes, but we’re from two opposite sides of the dimension; we’re only connected by the Odiona.”

“Odiona?” Landen questioned. I knew he’d never heard this before, and it was making him angry.

“Our bloodline begins with twin sisters, Jayda and Samilya. I’m a descendant of Jayda, and Karsten is a descendant of Samliya.”