Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(109)

Landen’s eyes widened, then he hastily ushered me out of the street. There was a small opening between the buildings we slid inside it and gazed out at the passing people.

“How did you do that?” I thought.

“Me? How did she do that?”

A man leaned against the wall next to us. Landen glanced at me, then cautiously raised his hand and placed it on the man’s shoulder. He was solid. I felt Landen give the man the same peace he had unknowingly given the girl. A rush came through us again. The man stood up straighter. You could tell he wanted to smile, but he hid it as others walked by.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Landen thought.

“I think we should help them all,” I thought, looking at the river of people walking by.

“Willow, we have to be careful. They are not supposed to smile or act different. I don’t want them to be executed because we made them feel better. I don’t even know where we are in this Esterious.”

I nodded, smiling at the chance to help more than one person.

Landen and I took each other’s hand and stepped out of the alley. As the people walked by, we touched them lightly. With each touch the rush we felt intensified. It was mind numbing, blissful. The emotions around us shifted immediately to peace. At the end of the street we stopped and looked back. The people were glancing at each other curiously. Some of them were whispering to one another as they looked back to where we had walked. This was the first time I really appreciated my gift of emotion.

Two men with hoods—whom I could not feel—walked out of the gray building we were standing next to. Landen pulled me back before they could pass through me. The people on the street noticed them immediately. Fear came through them all. Only a few of them were strong enough to hold on to the peace we had given them. We leaned against the wall and watched as the dark men walked through the center of the street.

Once we were sure that none of the people were in danger, we looked at each other and nodded.

We opened our eyes. Daylight was peering in through the front of the house. Landen sat up and rubbed his face, trying to wake up. I pulled myself up slowly.

“I don’t even know what to say,” I said quietly.

Landen looked down at the ground, then back at me. “I feel trapped,” he said. “What is the purpose of giving them any peace if they lose it as soon as one of the priests comes around?”

“Maybe we’re supposed to find the strong ones. Help them so they can help the others,” I offered, urging him to lie back down.

He refused to comply. Instead, he moved his from head side to side as he stared into the thin air. He was clearly arguing with himself, or at least an idea he had.

“August tried to help a man in Esterious. The man and his family plotted underground to cause people to rise together against the priests, against Donalt. Someone betrayed them…they lost their lives. They left behind two young girls. August has never forgiven himself for encouraging the man.”

“When was that?” I asked feeling even more disgusted with Esterious.

“I don’t know...at least ten years ago. That’s why I think we need to be careful. I don’t want anyone’s blood on our hands,” Landen said, pulling me closer to him.

“I don’t think we hurt anyone last night. We could do the same again tonight,” I said, staring at the A-frame ceiling.

“I thought the reason we left our home without warning was to spend time alone, away from what Esterious has done to us, to our family and friends. We stumbled last night. I think we should be more careful and focus tonight. We need a break. We can go back when we understand it more,” he said in a final tone.

I wasn’t fond of being told what to do. I never have been. When I sat up quickly and went to find a shower, he knew I was furious.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, grabbing my bag and following me to the bathroom down the hall.

“What’s wrong?” I repeated sarcastically. “You want to go home and get everybody’s opinion on last night. You know what will happen—we’ll be pulled in every direction, only to find out that no one even knows one way or the other. All the while, people in Esterious are going to be living in their own personal hell. It’s not fair.” I pulled my things out of my bag and began throwing them on the counter in the bathroom.

Landen caught my hands before I could toss my brush. He gently pinned my arms behind my back and pulled my body against his. He dipped his head slightly so I would I have no choice but to look him in the eye.

God those eyes of his were lethal. It didn’t matter if I was in a foul mood, terrified, or basked in his bliss they would seize me. Right now that stare was telling me to take a breath. To stop and listen to the reasons he had for caution.

“Now, you know that’s not my intent,” he said, tilting his head a little, while letting his eyes carefully glide down my body.

I really wanted to stay mad at him. But he had me under the spell of his empowering energy that was wrapped in unconditional love and passion. The boy could make my heart race with nothing less than a glance.

Right now his solid intent was to protect me, to help me become all that fate had asked of me. His intent was for us to become more powerful as one.

Silently he was telling me that had to occur before we could help the souls that I yearned to save.

“I just want it to be over with. I don’t have the patience for all of this to unfold. Why can’t we just help and move on with our life?” I asked, almost pleading.