Vindicate (Insight #5)(16)

She laid her pencil down and pulled out the chai r beside her for me to sit down, t hen she nodded to where Marc was sleeping. “Alamos is trying to see how convincing Marc was…” She tilted her head down and raised her eyes. “To see if anyone read his and your promise as clearly as we did.”

I furrowed my eyebrows to question her, still groggy from my dream.

“You masked the color that was meant to bring grief in a beautiful blanket of snow…Marc nodded to the heavens as if he u nderstood the unspoken message. For some , that may mean that Drake is ruling with God in his heart. For others.” She sighed. “For others , it could be seen as a slap in the face. A s a man who will prevail over his past successors by undoing what is in place.”

I smirked. “Well, it was just a nod . I t ’s late fall ; snow could be expected at anyti me. Marc didn’t mean any harm. Neither did I. Even if they consider it a slap in the face , it’s how Drake planned to rule , with or without me.”

She nodded and smiled humbly. “Marc knew exactly what he was doing when he made that gesture. Whether you realize it or not , those brothers are very in tune with each other. They don’t need words , or even a past. Marc did exactly what Drake would have done if he were placed in that position.”

My eyes gazed down at the scroll and the endless notes on the table as my dream raced through my thoughts. Landen was trying to tell me something. Explain why he had to leave me here. “Where is August?” I asked , wanting more than ev er to turn back time. To stop us from going into that dimension. To find a way to avoid this hell I was in.

“He and Stella were with the looking glass , last I heard. Olivia and Chrispin have returned. I believe they are resting.” Perodine nodded to the cart of food by the table. “Food has been prepared for you.”

“Not hungry , ” I said under my breath.

“When was the last time you ate?” she asked in a concerned motherly tone.

I knew it ha d been long before this trial. Since before I was trapped in that dream , but I didn’t want to point that out. “When was the last time they ate?” I asked , glancing at Landen and Drake , knowing it had been just as long for them.

She didn’t bother to argue with me. She just let out a deep breath and gazed at me.

“What else have you figured out? Did Olivia find out anything?”

“Whatever she knows , she plans to tell you and only you. I’m still unraveling the complexity of this trial.”

“Did you not see that it was going to be in another realm ? That it would take both of them?”

“I couldn’t have seen another realm because a realm is shared consciousness. A thought – a community of energy. I saw the three of you there , just as I do with each trial. I saw others , too. The twin males.”

“Anyone else?” I mumbled at the mention of the word ‘twin .’

She reached for my hand. “Yes.”

I looked up hopefully. “Several. I see a Libra . A Taurus helping you.”

“Who ’s a Libra?” I asked , knowing Clarissa was a Taurus.

“You ’re not curious about the Taurus twins ?”

“What?”

“All of the signs I see coming into your life are from a new source.”

“More people. Great , ” I said absentmindedly . “I have enough peopl e telling me they feel called, and they fall back on whatever Pe lh a n and Aora told them. That the y would lead us through the tria ls.” I sighed. “You know August knew that last trial would involve Clarissa because it was Earth , and that ’s Taurus.”

“I don’t agree with that , ” s he said respectfully.

“With Pelhan or August?”

“With how Pelhan’s words were understood. I’m sure when he spoke those words , he had the intent of ass uring them that they did h ave a role in your twisted fate, but at the same time , you must understand that Pelhan never speaks a word that he has not carefully thought out, and every word he speaks has more than one meaning.”

“Have you met him?” I asked , knowing without a doubt that she ’d pegged his personality with perfection.

“Only in my dreams . I n medi t ation.”

“So what was the double meaning?” I asked grudgingly .

“I believe they all have a purpose entangled with yours , but I do not think their purpose can be linked with something as simple as a sun sign. Your last tr ia l proved that.”

“But i t involved Clarissa.”

“To a degree . She had a broken heart, although it more so in volved Olivi a –Chrispin – Landen and Drake, and most defin i t e ly Dane .”

“True.”

She reached for a stack of papers to her left. “I started to map out each of their charts…to see if I could read the web of fates. I’m not surprised to see Brady sleeping soundly over there.”

I glanced to where he was. As the dimming light of the fire danced off his complexion , I felt my breath leave me. For a moment , my eyes fooled my heart. They saw Landen. Then his words in my dream echoed in my thoughts : ‘Find them , Willow ...they can see everything .’ How could I find them if I couldn ’t leave this world ? I felt hopeless.

I reached for my chest , remembering that flower , wondering if it was real…wondering if I could whether the pain of the string without it. “Why is that?” I mumbled.