Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(48)

“Why did Drake take my friends?” I asked Brady.

“Willow, he’s just a really bad guy,” Brady said, locking his jaw.

“Do you know who Perodine is?” I asked.

My question astounded Brady. I could feel his fear spike, then he suppressed it.

“Do you?” he asked bleakly.

I knew then that she was real, just as real as Drake and Landen. Aubrey was standing on the balcony that overlooked the living room. Brady looked up at her, then walked away from me, staring out at the string. Aubrey came back down the stairs. My mother and Clarissa were close behind. They looked refreshed, ready for something to happen. I felt like they were leaving me out of some big secret. I’d never felt more alone in my whole life. I looked at the clock on the wall; it had been almost twelve hours since Landen had let go of my hand.

“Should it take this long? Where are they?” I asked.

When no one answered me, I stood and started to pace. I was just going to have to look for him myself. I was sure that Brady would follow me, and I’d make him take me to Landen. They wouldn’t talk me out of it this time.

“Willow, I think you should sit back down; you don’t look so good,” my mother said.

I felt weak, but I told myself that when I found Landen, I’d be fine.

My mother went on. “I think you need some food. You really look pale,” she said, even louder.

It took everything I had not to scream at her. How could she be so calm? Dad was in there, and so was Ashten, yet they just sat there, petting me.

“How are you two so calm? Even you, Brady? You’re all separated from them…does it not hurt? You don’t feel it? ”

As if I’d said the magic word, their emotions changed from anxiety to excitement. What could they possibly be happy about?

Aubrey walked over to me and placed her hands on my shoulders. “I told them that you two were more than the rest of us.”

I looked at her with my red eyes. “It doesn’t hurt you? You don’t feel it?”

“It’s not comfortable, but it doesn’t hurt physically,” Aubrey said, looking me directly in the eye. “This is a good pain. It means that it’s real, you and he are real, and no one else is like you in any dimension. You should not be apart. You need each other to survive. Your energy has begun to thread with his, in some way, you’re becoming one.”

“We have to go in the string and find them. Something could have happened,” I argued, remembering that Landen had already been burned twice.

Aubrey shook her head no, and the only thing I could feel from her was pride. “I know my son. Whatever pain he’s in, he’s using it to keep you safe and get back to you.”

I felt myself sway as I stood. Brady was now standing at my side, waiting to catch me if I fell or tried to leave—whichever came first. I let my eyes close for just a moment, and I could feel hands on me. Then out of nowhere, a rush of energy came through the room. I opened my eyes quickly and saw that they all looked the same. No one had moved, so where was it coming from? I peeked around them all to see Libby; she was still asleep on the couch, but I was sure it was coming from her. Everyone else followed my stare.

All of a sudden, Libby shot up from the couch and ran up the stairs and you could hear her running around up there. My mother walked over to the stairs and yelled Libby’s name. When she didn’t answer, my mom started to go up the stairs at the same time Libby was coming down them. She had taken off her bathing suit and put on her favorite little pink sundress and sandals, and she was holding the rabbit that she’d slept with her whole life. A smile was brightly lit across her face. The energy she was putting off was refreshing. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she screamed, “Come on, Willow, it’s time to go to Landen’s castle!”

“Libby, do you see them?” I said, feeling life seeping into me.

“Come on, Willow,” she said, holding me by the hand and pulling me to the door.

I wasn’t going to ask any more questions. I followed her out the door and down the steps. I could feel the confusion coming from everyone behind me. I didn’t care, though; Libby had to have seen something.

Outside, it was dark. The crescent moon was fighting with the clouds to shine through. My eyes were weak, my whole body was. I wanted to run faster, but I didn’t have the strength. All of a sudden, I felt him.

“Landen? Landen, are you here?” I thought.

He didn’t answer.

I closed my eyes and fell to my knees but before I could fall any further, I felt his hands on my face. When I opened my eyes and saw him, I took all the energy I had left, I wrapped my arms around him, and kissed him desperately. The pain was going away. I didn’t understand it. I knew I had not imagined that pain. That I was not some love sick weak girl. It didn’t matter right now, though. It was over. The pain was over.

Landen kissed me back with the same hunger. “I know... I know it hurts, but it’s over now. I love you,” he thought.

“I love you, too.”

I felt my body go limp. I’d lost my energy, and I was drifting away.

Landen yelled behind him, “Jason, something is wrong with Willow!”

I could feel my father and everyone else around me.

“Willow, speak to me.” I wanted to, but I couldn’t.

“She’s fine. Her adrenaline levels have been too high for too long. She just needs to sleep,” my father said.