Vindicate (Insight #5)(13)

“There is a court ; members stretch across this world , and all have separate beliefs. That is why I told you that we had to give back Delen. That we had to play into the rumors , ” Perodine carefully added.

“How do you plan on convincing the rest of this world that this city is no longer demented? How are you going to protect the ones I led here? What is going to happen if they are recognized? What then ? What happens when they discover that Drake was fooling them , that he was on our side all along?” They were going to have to prove to me that no one would be harmed with this charade.

Perodine glance at Alamos telling him to give me his word, trouble was, I would have no idea if he were lying to me or not. “Anyone th at would recognize them is gone. Initiating the mourning will cause every side to reflect – to try and unders tand what is really occurring. For all they know , Donalt is just sick . Drake is in his place until death or he recovers . I t will be a silent argument; it will allow us to not confirm or deny any notion , ” Alamos responded bleakly.

“I told you there was a reason for everything , ” Brady murmured to me. Well played, Brady, well played. He was offering me comfort and also ensuring I was well aware of what I was capable of. Absolute obliteration.

“This is the plan , ” Alamos said . “Marc will stand on the balcony – unroll the black cloth to symbolize to the people that mourning has begun . Our only problem is that damn wall that is dividing us from the rest of the world.”

I smirked. “You have a problem with that wall ? I don’t .” I turned briskly and left the room , feeling Brady at my side and the others daring to follow at a distance. I all but ran down the hall through the study , then to the observatory. The glass box that held my body before – the stools where Landen and Drake sat , were still in place. There was literally no time between that trial and this one. I held in the emotions I was fighting and walked to the door that led to the roof. No one ventured to stop me.

I wasn’t a fool ; I wasn’t go ing to show myself to this world – let any traitors see me. I stopped at the top step – right when I could see the wall. Deep inside , I pulled my emotions into one source and blew wind from my lips. I imagined this wall drifting apart . To me , it was nothing more than A utumn leaves moving with the wind. With my en ergy, the stones moved slowly with divine grace . The ground didn ’t tremble when they fell. There were no screams of horror or fear. The stre ets were vacant . The souls in this city had taken cover. Obviously staying in doors until they knew the storm had ended, that it was safe once again . When every stone had fallen , I stepped back into the stairwell. I felt a tinge of relief, like some of the energy I was caging in my core was able to escape. I swayed slightly feeling dizzy once again. I fought against that feeling. I didn’t need any of them to try and ‘help’ me, or worse, think I was too weak to survive alone.

Brad y was the only one in the stairwell with me. He witnessed my struggle but said nothing. That act allowed me to trust him . “You got this , ” h e said determinedly . There was almost a hint of truth in his words. He knew I was weak, exhausted, that my thoughts were scattered, that I had barley recovered from the last trial. I was grateful to have him next to me. To have someone tell me the lies I needed to hear. The ones I had to believe to find my truth, my tomorrow.

“Maybe they ’ll think the storm did it , ” I said sorrowfully , really not knowing what I wanted anyone to believe – understanding that I was fi ghting several points of view. Beliefs.

“They will , ” h e promised as he placed his hand on my back and led me down the stairs. I walked as fast as I could back to the room where Landen and Drake’s bodies laid.

Alamos and Perodine were staring out the window. My father and Au gust were with Drake and Landen, while Rose was staring at me from the center of the room.

“Problem solved , ” I said gruffly . “Let’s mourn.”

Alamos turned to look at me , raising one eyebrow. If I had to guess , I would say he both feared and respected me. Without Landen here to tell me otherwise , I was blind.

“And while you’re at it – tell someone to take those coffins out of the observatory.”

“We might --”

I cut Alamos off before he could finish his sentence. “We don’t need them . I f they die , I die . The story is over . You’re not hindering us from moving on to another life. To a life where we ’ll end this.”

“It ends in this life , ” Brady vowed .

Perodine left the room to honor my request. Alamos d id nothing to stop her. I glanced up at Brady , who had managed to stay within inches of me for the last hour. “You and Rose go home. If Presto n or Libby wanted to come here, or had some advice , there is no one to tell us.”

“Do you honestly think Felicity would not find a way? Send someone here for us?” h e argued as his blue eyes narrowed with a dare . His intent was set. He was not leaving my side.

“Brady , ” I said tightly.

“You and I have a deal , ” h e said stubbornly , holding his solid intent. Which meant we were both trapped . I couldn ’t leave this world without Landen’s body , and Marc couldn ’t leave because we ne eded his image to mock Drake’s. The darkness had truly hindered the fiercest of us.

“I’ll go alone , ” Rose said , ending the argument.