Vindicate (Insight #5)(23)
“To o much,” Charlie said nervously.
Olivia couldn ’t help herself ; she walked to this girl ’s side and circled her as if she w ere trying to convince herself that she was real. “What ’s your name?” Olivia asked as she reached for her wrist and looked closely at the star.
Was this really happening? Was she real? She had my tattoo? Seriously? “What do you mean you can’t feel me?” I asked . “You feel emotions ?” Oh please tell me you can.
“You could say that , ” s he said as her eyes slowly moved over me , then settled on my wrist. I pulled up my sleeve to reveal my tattoo.
“Nice tattoo,” she said with a hint of sarcasm.
I glanced at Olivia. “It’s growing less original by the minute.” I couldn ’t help but think of her dream, the one where her mother told her to get this tattoo so I wouldn’t kill her, so I would know she was real.
“You could say that , ” I heard Charlie say and turned to see her pulling up the sleeves on the hoodie she was wearing. There , she had the same Ankh , the same star in its loop. This could not be real. I was asleep. Asleep in Chara with Landen at my side. This was some wicked dream. My mind was toying with me again.
I stabbed my fingernail into the tender skin under my ring. Nope. I was awake. Staring at my twin. Knowing there had been more than one soul that had dr eamed of me hurting her along with Olivia. I tensed my body demanding that storm inside stayed dormant. I loved Olivia too much; I searched for this girl for too long. I would hurt myself before I let one single hair on their heads be harmed.
Brady pulled me again st him protectively as he spoke to Olivia. “This is Felicity’s dream . She saw these girls. Is this your dream , to o, Olivia?”
Before Olivia could answer , Charlie said , “You dreamed of it , t o o?”
“Did you?” Olivia asked as shock poured through her.
“No, Madison did , ” s he answered , looking at the girl in the doorway.
“How did the dream end?” I asked , looking at Madison , trying to understand her , only to find the same quest ion s in her eyes that seemed to mirror mine.
Madison glanced at Charlie , then back to me. “We share a common enemy. This mark w ill help us fight her illusions, but it’s going to take more than that to end this.”
“Like what ?” Brady asked.
Madison gazed across the room at Draven. I couldn’t help but see how they all carefully looked at him before they answered. They didn’t fear him ; that wasn’t it. It was like this realm, this place was a sensitive topic , and it was like that because of him.
Draven let out a slow breath , glancing at Charlie before he answered Brady. “This place, this place is the echo of what you are, what you were. I t’s created by l ost souls. Their energy creates this place. There , anything is po ssible. I t ’s add ictive, seductive, mind numbing. I t’s the hardest test any soul could be asked to pass.”
“Have you passed it?” I asked , not fearing any such place.
Draven smiled faintly , and I noticed that the only difference between him and his twin was the lack of dimples that Draven had and the black that seemed to outline his green eyes. “Not yet , ” h e said solemnly.
“Listen,” Charlie said , looking from me to Brady. “You ne ed to know that death haunts us. Damned souls are called to us. That it is a fate we didn ’t ask for but must endure. We thought --” she looked at Draven , then to me , “we thought coming to y our world would bring us peace, but we don ’t want to bring our darkness to your doorstep. That’s what we told Austin.”
“Austin? You’ve seen him recently?” Brady asked .
“He’s here,” Aden said , walking past us with the intent to go and get him.
I stared at Charlie , t aking in everything about her. I knew how she felt. I knew we were walking a path that mirrored the same misery. I could only hope she was faring better than me. I focused so intently on her that I felt myself sway with the lighthead ed ness I felt. “You’re not bringing anything to my doorstep.”
I felt tension rise in the room and an instant fading hope of Charlie. “It’s already there. Help me , and I’ll help you , ” I said weakly.
With my words, her hope came back , and what was tension f ell into shared determination. I glanced over my shoulder at Madison in the doorway. Behind her , there were stone steps leading down to somewhere else in this place. She wasn’t looking at me ; she was staring into thin air as if she w ere replaying a distant thought. I didn’t need to feel her to see the heartache she felt. “Who ’s Bianca ?” I asked hoarsely .
She nodded toward Brady. “The one he saw in that room. The girl who pushed the boy in the shadow of the room to the floor and blew a kiss to the one standing next to you.” Her eyes moved to Charlie. “Oddly , I can’t see anything else.”
Charlie looked away as if she w ere purposely trying to hide something from her.
“How does this seeing thing work?” Brady asked . “Can you see everything?”
“Only what you cho o se to show us , ” Draven answered as he stared at me.
“You said you could see everything , ” I said as I gripped Brady’s arm – not only to remain calm , but also to hold my balance.
Draven walked the few steps between me and him and peered down at me. “When you appeared in this room , you had no defense up. Your thoughts were wide open. As long as I asked the right questions , I saw y our past. Your perception of it, but now you have your defenses up.” He looked at Brady , then to Olivia. “All of you do. Madison saw that moment because Brady was thinking about it. Madison saw his perception.”