Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(62)

I walked slowly to her, feeling my heart rise in my chest. She reached for my hand and placed the chain in it, and I felt a warm tingle as it touched my skin. I looked down and noticed a medallion attached to the silver necklace. It was shaped like a sun with wavy, detailed rays, and in the center of the sun was what looked like black glass with a crescent moon carved into the surface. As I studied the details, I had a sudden, sickening sense of déjà vu. Landen leaned in to look closer as my hands began to shake.

“I think I’ve seen this before,” Landen thought.

“Me, too,” I thought, looking up at him.

“It should look familiar to you,” Rose said.

She smiled and reached for the necklace in my hand. She then opened the clasp and reached for my neck. I leaned in slowly to help her. She leaned back and looked at my neck, then gazed into my eyes and smiled.

“Where did this come from?” I asked as I moved my hand to the charm, feeling all the details of its surface.

“From you,” Rose said, tilting her head. Landen and I both looked at her with wide eyes.

“When I was a child, you and Landen approached me and August one day. You told me to give this to you the day you returned home to Chara.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, looking from her to Landen.

“Rose, you’re scaring her,” Landen said, putting his arm around me. “Now is not the time for myths.”

“What myths?” I asked, looking back and forth from Rose to Landen.

“Some people in Chara believe that travelers have led past lives. They think that’s why we can see more passages than them. It’s just a myth,” Landen said, looking me in the eyes.

“Myth or not, there’s not a doubt in my mind that this is not the first time you’ve walked this earth,” Rose said, looking at me, then up at Landen. “You need to know that you’re missing a part of the medallion.” Rose reached for the medallion and turned it for me to see. On the back of it was a ridge, and there were five holes spread around the inside edge.

“The star was lost,” Rose said quietly.

I heard the back door open, and I could feel the anxiety of Livingston and Ashten pouring into the room. I also felt the curiosity of Brady and Marc. Ashten and Livingston walked cautiously to Rose’s side. Landen looked back and forth between them. Marc walked to Livingston’s side, and Brady came to my side. I felt his confusion as he saw the medallion I was tracing with my fingertips.

“Where was it lost? Does it matter that it is?” Landen asked.

“It was lost in Esterious,” Rose said in a calm tone.

“Where?” Landen asked quickly.

“In the Blakeshire Palace,” Rose answered. “You knew it would be lost,” she continued, looking in my eyes. “You told me, ‘Do not fear when the supremacy was taken, for your heart was the only true power.’”

“Are you saying this medallion has power?” Landen asked in disbelief.

“I am,” Rose said.

From the shock that ran through Landen, I could tell Rose was telling the truth.

“Was Drake able to hurt her because he has that star?” Landen asked in a low tone as anger began to come over him.

“He hasn’t hurt her,” Livingston said defensively.

Everyone in the room looked at Livingston. I felt heat rise in my cheeks as anger coursed through me. I stepped forward and peered up at Livingston with a dominant stare.

“He hasn’t, has he?” I said sarcastically. “So what would you call a suffocating weight on your chest that makes breathing painful? How about being stripped of your senses and forced to feel a trembling fear of innocent people—not to mention that he’s taken someone I love deeply away from me?” I said, poking my finger in Livingston’s chest as angry tears came to the corners of my eyes. As Marc stepped between me and his dad, I felt Landen’s hands on my shoulders and I turned and buried my face in his chest.

“Why are you defending him?” Brady asked Livingston.

“I just…I just…I didn’t realize she suffered when she met Drake,” Livingston said quietly. The deep sorrow I sensed coming from him told me he truly believed that.

“I want to know what you’re hiding from me. Why is Drake connected to Willow? How do I stop him and get her friends home?” Landen asked in a harsh tone.

I turned in his arms to look at Livingston.

“Where is the star? Does Donalt have it?” Brady asked, pulling his shoulders back.

“You’re not going to get it,” Landen said, looking at Brady.

“If it’s hurting either of you, yes, I am,” Brady said shortly.

“I’m going, too,” Marc said, looking at Brady.

“I’m going alone,” Landen said.

I stared up at him with panic in my eyes. He wasn’t going without me.

Livingston’s face turned red. “You’re not going anywhere near Esterious. I told you they’ll kill you without question,” he said, stepping closer to Landen.

Landen pulled his shoulders back. “I know you believe what you say is true, now tell me how you know that,” he said, staring into Livingston’s eyes. “Tell me what you know. Tell me what you’re shielding me from!” Landen demanded.