Vindicate (Insight #5)(17)

“His sun is Aquarius . He can perceive every part of the one weapon you have found against this woman : m usic . His Mars is in Scorpio.”

I moved my head from side to side , thinking of all the times he ’d teased me about having such a fierce sun sign. “Does he know that?” I asked in a sly tone.

“He does. He asked me days ago if the trial of Mars would involve him because of that placement in his chart.”

“Why would he think that?”

“Mars rules Scorpio . He said he felt it coming. He wanted to be ready for it – he spent days with Alamos , trying to understand the power you had . He knew he would have to overcome you , or at least match your will if he was going to help you through this . He never quite grasped Alamos’ short lessons –but…all Pelhan had t o do was say one thing to him, and he finally got it. Just in time , too. I doubt this city could have survived that storm much longer.”

“What did he say to him?” I asked , craving some kind of hidden message.

Perodine’s eyes moved to Brady’s sleeping body. “He never told me , ” s he said in a slightly curious tone.

“Can I hope that he told him to go home and take care of his daughter?”

She laughed humbly under her breath as her eyes caught mine. “Child , that is what he is doing – by taking care of you , he is protecting her.”

“Chain reaction,” I mumbled as my dream echoed in my thoughts and I felt a warm hum in my chest where I imagined the flower to be. I felt this urge to run, but not away ; toward what I n eeded to do to solve this trial. I kept seeing Preston running through th at string – his carefree laugh. The gray haze . ‘This way , Willow.’

“Where are you?” Perodine asked , leaning closer to me.

“I was thinking of Landen…he told me he didn’t come back because if Drake died , we died. Chain reaction.”

She furrowed her brow as her eyes cascaded over my solemn expression. She knew he ’d said more , but she didn’t want to push me.

“I dreamed of him. Saw where they were.”

“Well…Landen has always been a wise soul. His words are very true.” She raised her eyebrows. “You should listen to him.”

Silence took over for a mom ent as we stared at each other. I almost felt like she was telling me to run. To fight no matter what. I felt lightheaded and dizzy. I couldn’t hold one thought long enough to figure out what to do . I had a plan before , cho o se Landen – always cho o se Landen ; there would be no trial because there would never be a choice. We were going to work together and bring color to this dimension, but now – I had no plan.

“How did we get here?” I asked , looking up at her. “What happened to ‘Willow’s heart needs to ch o ose ’?”

She looked down at her hands. “I have come to the conclusion that prophecy was one that Alamos and I both played into. Donalt had us so focused on you loving the man we thought was best for you that we never saw the entire path before you. We weren’t ready for this. I f I had to guess , I would think that the darkness plotted for the thr ee of you to destroy yourself, and the reason he plotted to do just that is because it will take the three of you to end this.”

“So if one of us dies , we all die , ” I clarified.

“I don’t think you ’re going to die. Every planet has the thr ee of your signatures on them. I do think that this is a turning point. That none of you will be the same after this trial.”

“If the re was no fear of death before that would have saved a lot of worry.”

“What is death, Willow ? Nothing but a doorway to another form of energy . One way or another , the energy of the three of you will be together until the end.”

“Only three.” I stated bleakly . It wasn’t fair for Drake to be lying there alone. I cared about him. I did. But not having Landen with me right now was agonizing. He was my balance. I knew deep down this was test. The universe was telling me that I had to find my own strength. But right now I was too stubborn and dizzy to own up to that challenge.

“There are others. They are waiting on you. Your paths will weave together. Your fates are complex an d incomplete without each other, but like I said before – the three of you began this and will end this in one form or another.”

“What are you saying? We’re going to be ghost at the end of this?” I asked , not caring one way o r another.

“I hope with all hope that is not the case. Child , your path is complicated. Never take anything I , or anyone else , says to o seriously…or to o lightly.”

“Never have,” I mumbled a s I pushed back my chair.

“Where are you going?” she asked .

“On a walk , ” I said , trying to hide how lightheaded I felt. How weak I felt.

“Stay in this wing , child. We are not alone in the palace anymore , ” s he warned me.

I nodded once as I glanced at Landen and Drake’s bodies and turned to leave the room.





Chapter Four


I wanted to find Stella and August , t o figure out this looking glass. I planned to stay on the h allways I knew in this palace. I wasn’t sure how I would know when one wing of the palace began and another ended , and I didn’t want to cross paths with anyone outside of Perodine’s trust.