Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(24)

My mother shook off the conversation, then went to the kitchen and started unloading bags of food. My father glanced at Ashten then leaned back. The room grew tense.

Gathering all my nerve, I stared at my dad. “I need you to do something for me,” I said in a shaky voice.

He looked up at me, afraid of my request. “On the way home, I want you to help me find my soul mate.”

I saw my mother freeze as she heard my words, and I felt a guilty sense of relief come over Ashten and my father.

“Willow, you’re only eighteen,” my father said in a tender tone. “I think you’re just a little overwhelmed by what you’ve learned about Chara.”

“Dad, it shouldn’t matter how old I am. I need him,” I said, growing angry.

My father shook his head in disbelief.

“Willow, you haven’t even seen the string yet. What if the beacon is not there?”

“He will tell me where to go. I dreamed of him. Look, I can show you what he looks like,” I said, walking to the counter to get the sketch out of my tote.

Ashten and my dad followed me over and watched as I turned the pages. I smiled when I flipped to the page he was on then turned it so they could see. Shock hit Ashten, and he ran his fingers through his hair, turned away, and started pacing. “Ashten, calm down,” my father said, wide-eyed.

My mother circled the counter, took the sketch from me, and stared at it.

“Jason, I cannot do this,” Ashten said through his teeth. He walked briskly back to the couch, sat down, and leaned forward stiffly. “Do you have any idea how furious he’s going to be?” he continued as dread filled him.

My eyes raced back and forth between them, trying to understand what I’d triggered. This is not where I thought this conversation would lead. They were supposed to tell me I was too young, that I had bigger issues to worry about, not this.

“This is just one part, Ashten,” my father said, running his hands through his hair.

“Part of what?” I intervened.

Ashten stood and walked over to me.

“I want you to understand where I’m coming from,” he said, trying to be polite.

My father stepped protectively in front of me.

“Jason,” Ashten said, raising his hand to let my father know he meant no harm. “I’ve made mistakes,” he continued, looking at me. “I’ve overlooked a truth that lived before me, but my only intention was to protect my family.”

“Protect your family,” I repeated, then I realized why Ashten looked familiar to me—he had deep blue eyes, soft dimples, and was built just like the one in my dreams.

“He’s…he’s your son.” My chest rose and fell rapidly. This was real. He was real. “What are you protecting him from? Me?” I asked as my cheeks filled with heat. I was so incensed that I couldn’t feel the emotions of the room. My head began to spin. I felt sick to my stomach, betrayed.

“Not from you,” Ashten said, realizing I didn’t understand.

My father stepped in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders. “Willow, I need you to calm down, you’ll faint if you don’t,” he said, trying to catch my eyes. I gently pulled his hands off me. I was in a daze, trying to understand how close the dream really was.

“Tell me his name,” I demanded, focusing on Ashten again.

“Landen…Landen Chambers,” he answered, looking away.

“Willow, sit down. We need to talk about this,” my father said, reaching for my arm.

I stepped back, dodging his touch. I then raised my hands and started to say something, but I was too angry. I took two steps back then walked to the door. I wanted to be alone. I opened and slammed it behind me as hard as I could. No one dared follow me.

How? How was any of this real? How did I dream of my father’s best friend’s son for, like, my whole life? Why was all of this hidden from me only to explode in my face without warning? Why was my sister pulled into my dreams now? What the hell was about to happen to me—us? I could not hold one thought long enough to rationalize any of this.

The daylight was leaving, and the stars could be seen above the light blue sky. There was a river that ran behind the cabin. I walked down to it in a stunned trance.

Once there, I followed its path until I reached a mound of large rocks. I climbed up on them and listened to the aggressive river that rushed by. I’d come to the point in my life where everything I knew had changed. My nightmares had returned, I was told I was from another dimension, Drake had found me, and…Landen was real.

I replayed my last dreams, the one of the Blue Moon with Landen and Drake beneath it, and then the one where Perodine had told me I would have to choose. If that were all that I had to choose, then I’d made this bigger than it really was. I couldn’t understand how that could be so important. Looking back at the cabin, I could see Libby sitting on a bed in the upstairs bedroom, coloring quietly. Her innocence touched my soul. She now had insight, a gift. I had seen her vanish in my nightmare. I was angry that my family was being pulled into the curse that was chasing me. I wanted to run, but I had no choice now. I had to stay and protect them. Some way, somehow I had to protect my little sister.

I was going to make sure that she made it home safely, and I hoped she wouldn’t struggle the way I had. I wouldn’t wish a single nightmare on her, or anyone, for that matter. As tears welled in my eyes, I pulled my knees up to my chest and fought the urge to cry. My thoughts then flashed through all that I’d seen, and the voices of my memories overlapped, screaming at me. Everything inside of me felt like it was falling apart.