Image (Insight #3)(7)

“Go on,” Landen said, looking at her in the rear view mirror.

“Samilya was given to the ruler of the East, Oba, as a wife. It is said that Samilya did love her husband at first, but years later she ran away from him, taking their children with her. She ran to her sister Jayda, in the West, and told her that Oba was possessed by darkness. Jayda hid her sister away, but Oba sent guards to retrieve his wife and children. They took Jayda by mistake. When Jayda stood in front of Oba, he looked into her eyes, his body tensed, and he fell to the floor and screamed in pain; as he did, darkness came from his eyes, ears, and mouth. When it had all escaped him, a bitter taste surfaced in his mouth; the darkness could not reside in a body that feels only pure love. ”

I replayed her story in my mind, trying to place the names in the right place; I couldn’t help feeling an utter confusion. “I don’t understand. His wife was Samilya, not Jayda; was the darkness confused - or was Oba?” I asked.

“No one was confused. If Jayda had been given as his wife, then the darkness never would have been able to invade Oba. It didn’t matter that they were identical; real love is beyond the surface.”

“So where did the darkness go?” Landen asked as we approached the passage.

“It hasn’t returned to Analess since then,” Nyla said, sliding back to climb out of the Jeep.

Dane opened my door for me, then reached in and took the books. Clarissa was standing behind him. As I felt their solid intent on separating for my benefit, my stomach turned and dropped; I felt like I was leading an innocent lamb to sacrifice. “Dane, I think maybe you and Marc should stay with the others - that you need to shield them, not us. Perodine was not her normal calm; she could have been speaking irrationally,” I said, stepping out avoiding their eyes. I was a horrible liar - and everyone knew it.

“Well, if she was irrational, then there’s no reason for you to worry about me being at your side,” Dane said, trying to catch my eyes.

I gave in and stared up at him. “You don’t have to do this,” I whispered.

“I know,” he said, reaching back for Clarissa’s hand. I walked past them to Landen’s side; he was with Stella and Marc, and I knew he was trying once more to dissuade Marc.

Stella smiled at me as I approached. I felt her calm and shook my head slowly from side to side. “You should be angry,” I whispered as I pulled her aside. I was hoping that if I convinced her to get Marc to go with her, then Dane would follow as well.

“Why should I be angry?” Stella asked in an astonished, childlike manner as her eyes searched over my face.

“This has nothing to do with any of you; it’s unfair that you’re asked to endure it with us,” I said in a low tone, looking deep in her dark eyes.

Stella stepped forward and hugged me. “We’re all connected; you taught me that,” she said quietly as she let me go and walked to Marc’s side.

Landen reached his hand out for mine, and both of us looked behind us to our home, then to our family that stood in front of us. We struggled to fight the emotion of grief; it felt like we were saying goodbye to Chara, to all the ones we loved. Rose caught my stare, and I saw her move her head from side to side, telling us to remain calm, that we would return.

“Landen, do you want to lead? We’ll stay in the back,” Ashten asked casually. Landen nodded, then took my hand and led us all in the string.

“Willow,” I heard Brady say. I looked back to see him and Felicity walking in behind us. “Will you carry Allie?” he asked me as he reached his arm around Felicity to guide her through the darkness she was seeing; I smiled and reached to take Allie gently from her arms.

“Thank you,” Felicity said, gripping Brady now. “I’m not a big fan of the dark,” she said, smiling at herself.

“I’m sorry. It’s to keep you safe; I promise,” I said, cradling Allie.

“And we will be,” Felicity said, smiling in the direction of my voice; I wished I could bottle her optimism. I looked down at Allie to see her eyes studying the hazes around us. I took in her calm, knowing I’d need to remember it soon.

“I want to go, too, Landen,” Brady said in a muffled tone, not wanting Chrispin or the others to hear him.

“Brady, I need you to make sure our family is safe, to protect your daughter. Please do that for me. I need to know that you will,” Landen answered in a low tone.

Brady looked at me, then to his daughter, then he nodded.

We walked swiftly through the flowing current. Without the storms to concern us, paths that would take hours now took only minutes. Before long, the string began to turn a beautiful shade of yellow, and stunning sparkles danced in thin air.

Landen stood at the passage. I stood opposite him and gently handed Allie to Felicity. They passed through first, and Landen and I waited as each of the people we held dear to us passed through, then we stepped in.

Perodine was right: Pelhan must have know we’d be coming; even though it was the dead of night, three women waited to meet us. Above, the stars seemed to flow like diamonds, and a white glow of energy lingered around everything. The women waited for Landen and I to lead our family, which we did as they gestured and lead them through the streets to Pelhan’s.

Pelhan was on the porch with Aora at his side, waiting. Behind them were four more women dressed all in white. They walked forward and guided everyone in - with the exception of me and Landen; we stared at Pelhan with questioning eyes.