Synergy (See #3)(84)

“Aden, we’ll figure this out. I won’t let anything hurt you,” I promised, reaching for his strong arm and glancing at Madison. It was easy to see that he feared that we’d led Madison to her death.

He ignored me. “Let’s go.”

I reached for Madison, an in that instant we were at the doorstep of the Estate.

“How are we going to find them? This place is massive,” I said as l looked at the mountain of a task in front of us.

“I can feel them,” Madison said under her breath. She pushed the door open, and we stepped into a massive entry hall. “Top of the stairs,” she said, and instantly we were there. The stairway was wide and divided into two different directions. Madison silently nodded in the direction we needed to go. This place was just a smaller version of the place we were really standing in. It didn’t seem very stable to me. Every once in a while, I could hear the echoes of a vicious storm. It was like this place knew it didn’t exist anymore; the air was cold and dark.

As Madison led us down a hall on the third level, I could see the nervousness in her eyes. “There,” she said, nodding to an open door.

My heart began to hammer in my chest. I kept waiting for Bianca to show herself or more men to appear, even that evil angel. I knew something was bound to be in our way.

Cautiously, we stepped forward. Inside the door, I saw the image Draven had shown me before, the one that Madison and I had stumbled on the last time we saw Landen and Drake in The Realm.

Landen was lying across the floor. Drake was slouched against the wall, but he wasn’t alone; Bianca was holding him gently, smiling cunningly at us.

“Sorry, Madison. This one’s taken,” Bianca said innocently.

Madison nodded. “You couldn’t be more right.”

I reached my hand toward Bianca and watched as light soared in her direction. As it hit her, the image of her flashed, like it was a hologram or something. She vanished at that moment.

“I don’t think she’s really here,” I grunted in frustration.

At that moment, thunder exploded, shaking the weak Estate and causing a fierce wind to blow through the damaged walls.

“Come on,” Aden said, pulling me toward Landen’s body.

When we reached him, I fell to my knees and grasped his face. He was out cold, barely showing signs of life. I let my energy rush to my hands. The music in my soul caused my skin to glow against his, but I got no response as my hands moved across his face. He was gone. They were both gone. Too much of their souls had been divided throughout The Realm.

“Freaking A.” Aden bit out.

“This is tragic.” I mumbled, gently moving Landen’s face from side to side. He looked so innocent, but at the same time he looked like a fearless warrior. The sight of him brought Silas to mind. I could see how they’d formed a friendship thousands of years ago; their energy was the same.

I heard a crash, then Aden said, “They’re here.”

I looked up to see Willow, Brady, Olivia, and Draven. Willow began to rush toward us, but Brady held her back. “Take off your hoodies,” he demanded.

I thought he was insane. This room was freezing, and it was growing colder by the second. Madison locked eyes with me, and that’s when it hit me: they were making sure we weren’t an illusion, and the tattoo was our only defense at this moment.

With shaking hands, I pulled my hoodie off, which left me wearing only a black tank top. Chill bumps covered every inch of me. I glanced at Aden, wondering how he was going to prove he was real. That was when I saw him and Draven locked in a stare, no doubt sharing what they’d been through. Pain, anger, and confusion were in Draven’s eyes. Not good. Aden could have waited a minute or two. Considering all hell was about to break loose. Landen’s death would not be received well. I didn’t even know the guy and I felt sick to my stomach.

Willow and Olivia took off their hoodies, too, showing their tattoos. Even if this were working now, showing them that we were all real, I doubted it would work again if we didn’t hurry up and get out of there. Bianca would manifest the tattoo on her image the next chance she got.

A marker appeared in Willow’s hand. She wrote one word ‘love’ under her ankh, then handed the marker to Olivia, who did the same. It was a brilliant idea. Escorts like Bianca couldn’t say or be near that word; it was poison to them. Olivia threw the marker at us, and both Madison and I wrote the word on our skin. I glanced at Madison. “Let’s make this the last image that comes to life,” I said under my breath. She had sketched this moment, too. I kept telling myself that the lifeless girl had already happened, but a sick feeling in my stomach told me I was lying to myself.

Brady and Draven carried Drake’s body to where Landen’s was. As soon as Willow knew we weren’t an illusion, she was on her knees next to Landen. She kissed his lips, getting no response; I could literally feel the frustration coming off her. Greif. An emotion I prayed I would never live to feel.

“Why can’t I wake him?!” she yelled.

I couldn’t say it. None of us could. Draven must have known Willow would not stop fighting. Not yet. “Britain said they were here, but your victory was where your existence began,” Draven offered weakly.

My eyes grew wide. If they’d faced Britain and were still standing, that could only mean Britain was either dead or in some serious pain right now.