Image (Insight #3)(70)

Brady moved passed August to Alamos, and Marc and Dane were close behind him. “Listen, I don’t know you. I have no way of knowing what your intent is, but I know that this isn’t the answer. Willow belongs at Landen’s side,” he said in a calm tone.

Alamos shook his head in disgust. “You’re defending your brother’s heart; a noble thing to do. But you get to go home and live in a world of peace, and we’re left here to hear the blood-curdling screams of those who lose their lives based on Willow’s choices.”

Marc pushed in front of Brady. “And you’re defending a tragedy that you caused. You’d think that a man that’s lived as long as you would have brought more harm than good,” he said as loud as he could.

Marc’s tone startled Drake out of his rest, and he sat forward and surveyed the room.

“Aww, look - he’s awake now,” Marc said sarcastically, looking at Drake. “Let me fill you in: your latest plot to get Willow has failed; she will not stand at your side - no matter what the risk is.”

Drake stood with an angry scowl on his face. Alamos looked away from him; it was clear he wanted no part of Alamos’s reasoning. Landen looked at Drake, then sighed and moved his eyes to Marc. “This is a decision that Willow and I must make - not you,” Landen said.

“Have you lost your mind?!” Marc yelled. “I refuse to let you make this choice!”

“You’re causing more harm than good,” Brady said to Marc.

Clarissa rushed to my side and gripped my shoulders; her eyes showed the anger she felt. “Mistakes are only made once; don’t do this. Remember what I told you: you will die in vain,” she warned me.

I gently pulled her arms from my shoulders, then looked over my shoulder to see Olivia still seated calmly; I wished the others would just follow her lead and let me think.

“I never realized how selfish the souls of Chara were,” Alamos said bleakly into the room.

As arguments from every direction erupted, I felt like my head was going to explode. I turned to Landen and buried my face in his chest - then silence. I slowly leaned my head up and found that time had once again been frozen. I looked up at Landen and saw that he was looking over his shoulder at Drake.

“Was that you or me?” Drake asked.

“I think we made the decision to stop and think at the same time,” Landen said, looking down at me.

“Well,” Drake said, “how long do you intend to keep them frozen?”

“Long enough for you and Willow to leave the room and work this out in private,” Landen answered.

“Don’t make me do this,” I thought in a pleading tone.

“Willow, I love you and would never make you do anything that makes you unhappy. I just want us to make a decision and not regret it,” he thought.

“Then the three of us need to make it,” I thought.

“Talk to him alone, then the three of us will decide. You need to clear your mind and get your anger and grief under control,” he thought.

He leaned down and kissed my lips tenderly, then slowly stepped away. Behind him, Drake was standing staring at me with exhausted eyes.

“Take her far enough away that the emotions of this room are muffled. They know she can feel them, and they’ll do everything in their power to distract her,” Landen said.

Drake turned and walked to the doorway. I looked up at Landen, and he smiled at me, then tilted his head, telling me to follow Drake. I held my breath and told myself to put one foot in front of the other. My heart began to race, and the exhausting adrenaline raced through me once again.

Chapter Seventeen
We walked silently to the other side of the palace, and Drake opened a double doorway that led to a beautiful open bedroom. I hesitated, trying to remember to breathe; I then stepped cautiously forward. He walked to the window and stood with his hands on his waist, then let his head fall. I stepped guardedly closer to him.

“Would it save your life - the souls in Delen - if I stood at your side before the court?” I asked in a careful tone.

His shoulders tensed, then he turned to look at me, tightening his jaw and swallowing before he answered. “We won’t lead them to truth with a lie,” he said quietly.

“You didn’t answer my question. Will it save your life?”

“Listen to me,” he said, stepping forward. “Preston told me no less than two hours ago that if you came to my side, you must come completely; otherwise, the demon would consume me and you wouldn’t know any different. That’s not going to happen.”

“I’ve looked the devil in the eye; I would know,” I said, offended by the lack of confidence Preston had in me.

“He’s never been wrong before,” Drake said, looking away from me.

“You want to know what I think?” I said in a sharp tone. “I think you just have a death wish that you’re determined to end your life and make it my fault – to make me suffer.”

His eyes shot to mine, and the intensity behind them took my breath away. “Death is not my wish,” he said calmly.

“Then tell me why you didn’t tell me you were Oba?”

He walked past me and paced in front of the elegant bed.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” I asked again.

“I didn’t know until it was almost over,” he answered in a frustrated tone.