Vindicate (Insight #5)(42)
With the absence of his energy , my soul fell between them. I was dizzy …then I remembered what I was doing. I slowly reached for Landen’s hand , and with his touch my soul was pulled into him. It was like he was reaching out for me, he was holding me, that even in his state , he felt my weakness and only had one desire : to make me stronger.
When every part of my energy was within him , a blinding light surrounded me. I felt alive , sure of myself. I thought for an instant that I ’d managed to fall into his thoughts on my own – that I was about to pull him back to me.
I screamed his name in my thoughts , feeling him all around me. I walked forward , not knowing where the blinding light would lead me. Then all at once , I saw the purest color of blue. I saw his eyes before me. I ran as I fast as I could toward them . A s I came closer , the white glow subsided slowly , and I saw his face. His gorgeous face – his eyes . I reached my arms around his strong , broad shoulders. I felt the warm th of his soul hum inside of mine. His hands cradled my face as his eyes searched deeply into my soul. I almost forgot to think about our first kiss, the qui et moments we had when he told me that ‘I love you’ was a promise in his world – a gratitude to the universe for allo wing them to feel that emotion. That love was the foundation of his world – when I finally thought of those moments , his smile grew. “I should have kiss ed you long before that moment. I should have found a w ay to tell you that I was real. That I would come for you and take you to the place that exists because I love you.”
“Come back to me , ” I thought as I pulled him closer. “We’re not done. Not yet.”
“No. We’re not … this is the beginning. Willow, I see clearly now . This place – it is the core of what we fight. I t is what we have been fighting from our first breath. Everything in Esterious – Drake was just a distraction from this evil . This place is where our war is. This is where our victory is.”
“Then come back for me , and we ’ll fight it together. Don’t you dare leave me here!” I argued , seeing the goodbye in his eyes.
“I ’ll never watch you burn again.”
“What?!” I questioned.
Anger filled his eyes, and I could swear I saw flames burning there . The anger wasn’t at me ; it was focused on a memory I couldn ’t perceive.
“I was a fool not to trust fate, we ’re losing this battle . That stops now.” His blue eyes cascaded over my face. “I love you. I love you so much.”
He leaned slowly toward my lips , and when I felt them, I felt a hum of energy that had never belonged to him before. I closed my eyes and moved mine fiercely against his – begging him – the universe itself , not to let us be apa rt any longer – or ever again. I felt an explosion of energy between us. I t was so strong; it pushed my energy out of his body and back into mine. Thunder vibrated through the room as light n ing turned everything around me blue.
I gasped for air as I stared wide-eyed at where he laid. His skin was no longer pale ; it was full of color , almost red with excitement. His bre aths were deep and deliberate. I thought for sure he would open his eyes at any moment.
Chapter Nine
Every part of my body was tingling with the electricity in the air. My eyes shifted between Landen and Drake , waiting for any movement or response. They both looked stronger but refused to open their eyes.
I had no idea what he meant by ‘watch me burn’ or why his soul was humming. I was confused and terrified...what was she doing to my Landen ?
Draven pulled back the drape beside Landen just as I felt the others charge into the room. Draven’s eyes turned black as they looked at Landen’s body , then Drake’s.
He glanced at me after a second or two.
“What did he mean?” I asked in a shaky voice.
He grimaced “It’s hard for me to see what he’s facing, but I can tell you The Realm m akes you relive past lives . Something in his past was rev ea led to him .” Draven raised one eyebrow as he let out a deep sigh that was laced with dread. “Doesn’t look like he cared t o o much for what he saw. But then again , none of us really do.”
That was his past? Fire? What? When did I burn in our past?
My father, Brady , and Alamos rushed to the bed , pulling back the drapes and looking at Draven with accusing eyes.
My father raised his hands to stop the onslaught of questions as he looked over me, Landen, then finally Drake. “I don’t know what you did , son – but good job,” he said to Draven.
“But he’s better?” I asked Draven .
He nodded once. “They’re closer now , ” h e said as awe and pride surfaced in him.
“What just happened? What did you do?” Alamos asked as he checked Drake’s pulse.
“She just let them know she was here,” Draven answered , reaching for my hand to guide me off the bed.
“And just how did she do that?” Alamos asked curtly.
“Does it matter?” Draven said , not really caring who Alamos or anyone else was.
My father reached for my shoulders as I climbed out of the bed. “Can you do it again? This is the strongest they have been in this state. Can you bring them back if we left the room again?”
I looked at Draven to question if that w ere possible. His eyes told me no.
“We are going to have to go and get t hem. Willow took the first step to break the illusion , but the only way to wake them is to go there – show them the way home.”