Vindicate (Insight #5)(2)

His back bowed with the thrust of energy. A beaming light erupted between us , mocking the light n ing that seemed to aim at the palace itself. His skin was no longer pale . Weak. He looked as if he were sleeping . Not peacefully . He looked as if he w ere trapped in a nightmare. One that I could not pull him from. I waited for him to open his eyes. To hear his voice in my thoughts, but the silence reined on. I moved my other hand to his chest , ca using another thrust of energy, another beam of light. This time , his eyes opened slightly. Only he wasn’t there. A t least not all the way. I could see a glimmer, a spa rkle in the center of his eyes. I could see his soul fighting.

“An angel fallen , a devil has ri -”

His thoughts faded , a nd my soul went numb with shock. “Landen!” I screamed in my thoughts. The sparkle in his eye seemed to dwindle ever so slightly as he turned his head toward Drake and his lips mocked the words , ‘A n angel fallen , a devil has risen .’ When his eyes saw Drake’s lifeless body , fear came over him along with the intent to turn back and save Drake from somethin g ominous . I screamed for him to change his intent , to stay with me , to not go back through my thoughts , but he didn’t listen ; i nstead, his eyes closed , and he slipped further away. Everyt hing I’d given him was useless. I t was useless because he was fighting something on a l evel that I could not perceive. A level I could not reach. He wasn’t letting me bring him back for a reason. He was turning back to save Drake. To end this.

Panic came over me. It was like they were fighting the devil in Hell itself. That the only way they could fight him was to stand on death ’s door. Landen had refused to lead me there. To let me follow him. He was intending on ending this war once and for all.

I moved to Drake , knowing that if I found a way to bring him back , Landen would come back. Landen would come back b ecause he knew Drake was safe. Landen had chosen to fight for Drake. To not leave him in the hell that had captured them. He must be fighting for him because he knew we needed hi m . Fighting because his soul was more pure than mine. He didn ’t have the heart to run away. He was fighting at Drake’s side in some wicked place.

I placed my hands on Drake’s chest and pushed my energy through him. I felt his hypnotically addictive energy eas e through my soul. He was not rea cting the same way Landen had. It was like he was further away. Like the demon had had more time to blind his soul. I needed my voice if I w ere really going to reach him. I moved my soul to my body , then climbed across the bed to Drake’s side. I cupped my hand s around his face and spoke his name. His skin was humming ever so slightly. “Drake , ” I pleaded . “Come back to me.” His lips began to move . He was responding . “Drake , ” I said louder as I moved my ear so I could hear him. “Will not be our prison , ” h e whispered.

“What?” I said louder.

“Fate is calling ; this world will not be our prison , ” h e said faintly .

I looked into his closed eyes and waited for something , anything that w ould explain why he said that. Where they were. “An angel?!” I yelled . “A Demon?! What prison?! Where are you ?!” I yelled as I pushed against his chest , then moved to try and get another response out of Landen.

I felt the intent of the others . Perodine. My father , they were coming to sedate me. They though t I was going mad with grief. Hurting Landen and Drake . When the door opened , I flung my hand behind me , throwing a wall of energy around the half of the room with the bed. I stared coldly at them, my dad, Perodine, Alamos and August , who were pushing in behind them. The thunder roared , and the wind crashed against the palace. I crawled to the edge of the bed , then to the floor , daring one of them to try and calm me down. To make me relax . I had to find Landen. Go to wherever he was in his mind , and I wasn’t going to let whatever drugs they intended to give me prevent that from happening.

One by one , they left. I refused to let my wall of energy fall. I had encased the three of us.

I stared over their bodies , watching for any sign of where their minds were. Their s kin was no longer pale. It was full of color. A lmost red with anger. Their breaths would speed up , then slow down. I watched as the muscles in Landen’s long , strong arms would flex , then relax. Drake’s entire body seemed to tense often. I’d seen them both make gestures like this before. I could almost visualize the moments they were fighting and the moments they w ere finding rest in their minds. I t was as if they we re living in a different word. One that I was blind to. I wanted to see it. I didn’t c are how twisted or dark it was. I wanted to be fighting at their side.

The door to the bedroom opened again. This time it was Brady, and he was alone. I still wasn’t going to let my guard down, my wall of energy. He vigorously walked toward me , ignoring the barricade I had when he passed through it without effort. I defensively threw my arms up , but he caught them , t hen walked forward , pushing me against the wall - pinning my arms to my side . I glared back at him , trying to hold my rage in. Trying because he looked too much like Landen , and hurting him or anyone el se was not what I wanted to do. No , I wanted to save my rage for the demon that had stolen Landen .

“You need to calm down,” Brady said through gritted teeth.

“I am calm,” I seethed , struggling to move my arms but finding it harder than I should.

“Willow , you’re killing people. Do you understand me?!” His blue eyes blaze d as he leaned down into my face.