Image (Insight #3)(82)

“When we first got there, Alamos wanted me to walk through the hall. Only one person tried to approach me, and I just raised my arm with the tattoo on it and turned my head; they left us alone after that. Drake was back a few minutes later,” Marc said.

Landen smiled and put his arm around me.

“Chrispin said you were really weak - but Drake...when I saw him, he looked strong. How come it didn’t affect you the way it affected him?” Marc asked.

August stepped forward. “Landen suspended time, allowing Drake to return; I’m sure that’s why he lost his strength,” he said.

Marc nodded, and August looked at us and smiled slightly; it was as if he knew I’d helped Drake.

My eyes searched for Dane and Clarissa, but they weren’t there. I felt my heart sink as the division in our family made itself known.

“We told them to take a break, and that’s what they’re doing,” Landen thought as he felt my grief.

When Landen approached Chrispin, he reached out his hand and placed it on his shoulder.

“I’m glad you were there for me last night,” Landen said to Chrispin.

“Always here for you, man,” Chrispin said, grinning.

We moved past him and saw Ashten and Brady next to the passage.

“You look good,” Brady said to Landen.

“Thank you for carrying her home,” Landen said to him.

While Ashten began to tell Landen about the preparations that they’d made in Delen, I focused on the wall. Through the excitement of the ones in the string, I felt a horror; behind the wall of the string, I knew there were people living in a nightmare. I felt Landen’s hand on my back, as well as the calm he was giving me, but it couldn’t hinder the desire to step inside and bring them peace.

When the others saw that our attention was focused on the gray haze, they fell silent. Everyone stepped behind us and lined the wall, prepared to lead the lost through the passage. From the haze, an arm stretched through: Drake’s arm; I’d never been so happy to see that tattoo. As I reached out and held his hand, I felt his rush. He knew I was there waiting.

He let go of my hand, then I stepped closer the haze, just inches from moving through it. My eyes searched, wanting to touch whoever was to come first and give them peace. In that second, I saw a small figure begin to emerge, and I reached my hand out, finding Drake’s hand on their shoulder. I gently pulled them through, and as the haze fell a beautiful little girl no more than four years old was standing in front of me. I leaned down and hugged her, sending joy through her soul. I then brushed her long dark hair out of her eyes – only to find them searching blindly.

“There’s more coming; give her to Brady,” Landen said in a tone that was pure joy.

I handed the little girl to Brady and turned to see Landen holding a little boy. Before he could hand him to his father, another little girl came through. I was so happy, I started to cry. Travelers carried the children to Patrick’s passage; there must have been more than a hundred of them. The women began to come next, and Landen and I stood on either side of the passage and calmed them before passing them to the other travelers. Once the women had passed, the men came; they were more full of sorrow and defeat than the women and children.

Landen said over and over again, “Your family is safe, you’re safe.” With the sound of his voice - and the emotion we were sending them - they found peace. When the flow of people stopped, our family and the travelers escorted the last of them into Patrick’s passage. Landen and I waited, hoping that Drake would emerge so we could thank him.

A moment later, he stretched his arm through; once again, Landen gripped it and showed him his gratitude. Landen look at me, then smiled and stepped away. I reached for Drake’s hand and smiled as I felt his rush of energy. I pulled his hand to my face and let him feel my smile. Every joyful emotion I could call forth, I gave to him. I gently kissed his hand and let him go, then stepped out of the haze and smiled up at Landen.

“He felt your emotion; you made him happy,” Landen said, grinning at me. “He wants us to return tomorrow; he’s expecting just as many - if not more.”

My grin grew, and I reached my arms around his shoulders and pulled him to me. He smiled and slowly leaned in to kiss me.

“I want you to always be this happy, “he thought.

Through my embrace, I let the love I felt for only him flow. I felt him push his undying love through me; I felt strong, victorious - and I knew that with him at my side, there was nothing I couldn’t do.



Acknowledgements:

Gratitude is an emotion I’ve always felt simply because I have a wonderful family that loves and supports each of my crazy ambitions. I never realized that emotion could amplify as much as it has over the past few years of my life. I am still eternally grateful for each person that encouraged me to bring Insight to life. Today, I must thank so many more. Embody & Image would not be here today without the support and acknowledgement from countless book reviews, bloggers, and most importantly the readers who took a chance on a debut author. I thank each of you from the bottom of my heart.