Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(89)

We passed a curious look, careful not to move or wake her. “What do I say?” Libby said turning in her bed.

“Will Willow come home with Landen?” Her face squinted together, then she lay silent.

Stunned, we didn’t move, waiting for her to say anything to answer the questions she’d asked.

Libby never moved again, but we rested our souls in her window seat, watching her sleep, waiting for her to say or do something, knowing she could very well hold the key to every question we’d ever had.

At daybreak, a knock on our front door woke us. We heard footsteps coming in the hall and up the steps; we knew it was Marc. Landen grudgingly pulled the covers over us, letting our bodies wake up before arguing with him.

“Ahh…so how does it feel having someone come in your room and scare the hell out of you?” Marc said as he walked in our bedroom door.

Landen threw a pillow at him. “It was for your own good, and you know it,” he said, wiping the sleep out of his eyes.

“Look, as I was lying there last night, I realized something,” Marc said.

“What? That I was right?” Landen mocked.

“No,” Marc said, throwing the pillow back at Landen. “You said you could control where you go, right?” Landen nodded, squinting at Marc through the sunlight. “So you could beam yourself right into that Palace and take that star back, couldn’t you?”

“Jason thinks they’d be able to hurt us,” Landen corrected.

Marc’s enthusiasm faded as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Hey, do you mind? Can we have a minute here?” Landen said, pushing Marc off the bed with his foot. Marc looked at me and blushed a little before leaving the room, giving us a chance to get dressed. Landen looked at me and shook his head in disbelief.

“The best part about getting through this is the idea of having you all to myself.”

Even though I knew he meant it, I still laughed at his new observation.

Downstairs, Marc had laid out breakfast for us, and he stared at Landen and me as we ate. Every once in awhile, he would start to say something, then hesitate and look out the window.

“Say it,” Landen said as he finished his breakfast and pushed his plate away from him.

“This doesn’t freak you out?” Marc said with a burst of air coming from him.

“What part?” I asked, making light of his perspective.

“I just think, Landen, you and I have seen a lot of crazy stuff over the years, but nothing like this, like the two of you,” Marc said.

Landen shifted in his seat, giving Marc a stern look and a sideways glance at me before he answered.

“I don’t know why you’re so surprised. I’ve known you my whole life. You knew about the dreams and the intent I could see.”

“That doesn’t mean that I knew that you were really out walking around with Willow somewhere. Where did you guys meet anyway?”

We glanced at each other; we’d never even tried to figure out where we went.

“We don’t know,” Landen said as he stared into my eyes.

“We’ve been to a lot of places, you’ve never seen the place awake once?” Marc pushed.

Landen leaned back in his chair and stared forward as the memories danced across his eyes. I felt him remembering all the places that had brought him joy.

“I’ve never been there awake. I’m sure of it,” he said finally, staring at me again.

“Are you ready for this? I’ve watched that world tear my father apart,” Marc said, calling Landen’s attention back to him.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re ready or not, it’s here,” Landen answered, reaching over and squeezing my hand.

Marc leaned back in his seat, seeing that he wasn’t going to talk us down from whatever we faced. “You’re my purpose,” he said.

“What?” Landen said, surprised.

“My purpose…is to keep you safe,” Marc said in a hushed voice.

“Marc—”

“No, Landen. Seriously, I know what I’m talking about. I remember when you were born, looking at you and knowing that I was supposed to protect you.”

“You were just being a good ‘brother’…you feel the same for Chrispin.”

“No, that’s just it. Chrispin is my baby brother, and yes, if I was there and he needed me, I’d keep him safe, but with you I feel like I’m supposed to make sure that I’m there to protect you,” Marc argued.

Landen sighed deeply and shook his head as Marc finished his explanation. “Listen, I want you to put what you just told me aside and clear your head…find that feeling and follow it. We all need someone, you aren’t meant to be alone.”

“I know that. I just have to do this first, so if you’re ready, then bring it on,” Marc said with an uncanny boyish grin.

Through the kitchen window, I saw Libby in the valley; she was picking flowers, and she had a basket almost too large for her to carry. As I focused on her, I could feel her urgency. Landen followed my stare, and so did Marc. “I wonder what she’s doing out so early,” Marc muttered.

“Something’s wrong,” I said to Landen, pushing back from the table, not losing sight of her. As Landen and Marc followed me, my quick walk turned into a sprint. “Libby, what’s wrong? Libby? What’s wrong?” I screamed. Libby jumped as she heard me, and relief filled her eyes.