Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(96)

“What about at night?”

“I don’t know.”

“Should we go?”

“I like the idea of finding a cure without having to get the star back,” he muttered.

“Are we going to let him keep it?”

“I didn’t say that. I just don’t want to play games with Drake while those girls are clinging to life.”

“Dad said when we run out of flowers, we have to take them back if we want them to live,” my voice cracked as I reached for my chest, remembering the pain of the nightmares.

Landen closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “We should go tonight,” he said after a moment.

“Awake or asleep?” I asked.

“Awake. I don’t want our souls trapped there.”

“We’re going alone, aren’t we?” I said under my breath.

Landen nodded. Neither of us wanted anyone there with us; we knew we’d be walking into the heart of Donalt’s palace. We agreed to wait until the night so no one would know that we’d left.





Chapter Eighteen




Just before opening the door, we hesitated, staring at each other, both pushing the fear as far away from us as possible. Landen cradled my face with his hand, his blue eyes searching deep in mine.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

I nodded slowly.

He leaned in, let his lips brush against mine, I sighed on contact and leaned up so our lips would meld together, when I felt his tongue against mine, I went wild in his embrace, I rushed my arms up his chest, squeezed his shoulders, then fisted my hands in his dark hair. He picked me up and braced me against the wall, putting every ounce of passion into this kiss as he rocked against me.

I don’t know how he found the will, I surely didn’t have it, but he ended our kiss with a gentle nip of my bottom lip. “Let’s end this so I can bring you back here and have my way with you for hours on end.” He said as he squeezed my thighs before carefully setting me down.

“Deal.” I said with a sly grin as I reached up and ran my fingers through the dark locks that I had disheveled.

Walking through the field, I twirled the ring on my finger, hoping that it would serve its purpose and protect us. Beside the string, Brady and Marc stood, waiting for us in the full moon light.

“You are not going with us,” Landen said as we approached them.

Their resolve was apparent, and we knew their intent was to leave with us no matter what we said to discourage them.

“We’re supposed to go,” Marc said, crossing his arms with a stubborn expression across his face.

“Libby told us,” Brady said, stepping closer to the string to lead us in. His overwhelming calm was unsettling.

“Libby told you what?” I asked, wondering what part we were all about to play.

“She came to me, and then Marc, and said we needed to go to the string and wait for you,” Brady explained as he put his hand on my shoulder. “She seemed calm. I think we’ll all be okay.”

Landen reached for my waist and pulled me to him, and Brady lost his touch. He stared at Landen as if he had no choice but to go with us, but Landen looked at Brady and shook his head no.

“This has nothing to do with you, Brady. Go home. Felicity needs you.” Landen moved his attention to Marc, and I could feel him becoming consumed with gratitude and sympathy. “Marc, you’re wrong. You need to find the one made for you.”

“We are going with you,” Brady said calmly.

Landen looked at the ground. “Where does Felicity think you are?”

“She thinks I’m helping someone, now can we please go?” Brady bit out, rolling his eyes at Landen’s attempt to steer him away.

“No one else knows, you’re sure?” Landen clarified, looking at Brady.

“We didn’t tell anyone,” Brady assured Landen by letting him hear the truth in his words.

Brady made his way to the string opening, and Marc followed. Landen sighed deeply as his eyes made their way to the full moon that seemed to engulf the sky. I gently pulled his hand, and we stepped in the string.

Landen took the lead, turning into the passage with the waterfall, hoping that when they saw that we were walking directly into the palace, they’d hear our pleas to go home. Once past the waterfall, we stepped cautiously into the dark forest. Brady and Marc kept their resolve, and no fear came from them.

Landen turned and looked at them. “Listen, I don’t know what’s in there or who could be waiting. Our purpose is to pull the page from the book on the altar, which has the words that will heal Hannah and Jessica,” Landen explained.

“How are you going to know what page? Why not take the whole book?” Marc protested.

“Libby said the page. If we can take the book, we will,” Landen said.

“What about the star?” Marc asked.

“For another day. Tonight, we need to find the cure for the girls,” Landen said, looking at both of them. “This is your last chance to turn around, this is not your fight.”

“Show us the way, Landen. We’re going with you,” Brady said as his eyes searched the darkness, looking for my passage.

Landen’s sorrow was immediate, but he knew that Brady would follow him one way or another, and he’d rather have him by his side.