Vindicate (Insight #5)(46)

A sick feeling settled in my stomach, and the open ceiling of the observatory reflected a gray sky that grew so dim that you would have thought dusk was approaching. “I didn’t mean to, and I am not the other woman.”

“He loves you,” she said in a deep whisper as her eyes focused on me.

I held my breath, fight ing to sustain a calm emotion. One that would not cause th e skies to reflect how I felt. How horribly guilty I felt. “Maybe so, but not in the way Landen loves me…not in the way he will love you,” I promised. I looked over her carefully. “Have you dreamed of Landen?” I asked, trying to hide the jealousy I felt building inside of me.

She moved her head from side to side. “Why?”

“Hard to explain…I guess I’m just trying to see if you are his bad soul mate – trying to find a way for me not to hate you if that were true. Even though I have no right to feel that way.”

“Bad soul mate?” she asked with a smirk, falling from her knees and crossing her legs in front of her.

“Yeah,” I said, mocking her stance. “It’s how Alamos and Perodine explain the difference between Landen and Drake to me.” I let a sardonic smile echo on the corners of my lips. “They say one gives undyin g love and ones gives passion. That in our past lives, I have loved them and they have loved another. I always assumed it was the same person - that who brings Drake love will inspire passion in Landen. I dread that.”

“And you believe them?” she asked in a voice that was full of doubt.

“Why would I not?”

“Because they are human and they are ruled by emotions, and emotions change our perspective and shape our opinions of the truth; of all people, you should know that.”

Well, now, that was something I’d never considered. And now that I had it felt like a weight had been lifted from shoulders. “Point taken,” I said as I stu died her features. “But there has t o be some truth there, some basis for that insight … I can’t feel Drake.”

“Drake. The tall, strong, regal boy with magnetic dark eyes,” she said as she looked to the stone floor.

I nodded to confirm. “He is a good man, and he needs a queen.”

“I’m not her,” Madison said sharply , locking eyes with me.

Oh, yes you are I thought to myself. “How do you know for sure?”

“I told you, I refuse to be his second choice. I will not allow any man to ‘settle’ for me. I don’t deserve that; no girl does.”

“How can you blame him for something he has not done? It’s not fair th at he did not know you before. They toyed with his mind . Invoked dreams of me. Told him over and over I would rule with him , but that was all a cruel ploy. That evil angel did that so it could take over his life the m oment I coincided to love him. You should be furious at that ghost that cam e after your friends. Not him. It’s not his fault.”

I could see that she had no idea what Drake had endured by her eyes that widened for a split second. But she regained her distant stance.

“I am furious with th at ghost for more reasons than you could imagine.” She sighed heavily, obviously looking for the right words to say to me. “Willow, I think yo ur perspective has been blinded. Evil does not live here.” She said with a glance around the stone room. “What is here is the damage left in its wake. I go to the place where it’s bred. I’ve fought there a nd will continue to fight there.” She leaned slightly forward to capitalize her next point. “I will never stay in any palace and have countless people wait on me as long days drift by. I will never rule with anyone because no one should rule another.”

I smirked. “I’ve said the same thing,” I mumbled. “Listen,” I said weakly. “I don’t have ti me to convince you to love him. I t’s not my place to do that anyway ... but I can’t be two people in The Realm, at least I don’t think I can . You may have to face him there .” I captured her distrustful stare. “– can you handle that? Will you help me save his life?”

“Once again, I will tell you what I t old Charlie. I would stand at your side with or without your permiss ion and save whomever I need to. Not because of some love you think I should have, but becaus e that is what I do. I save damn ed souls whether they deserve it or not.”

“He’s not damned.”

“If he’s where I think he is – he’s damned.”

Fear shot through me as I leaned forward. “What are you saying? Landen is there. Is he damned?”

“Do you think Draven is?” she asked curiously, weighing my reaction.

“He’s not damned – he’s made a choice to love Charlie. I don ’t even think it was a choice. She is the air he breathes.”

“Then there is hope for your Landen – Drake.”

“What are you not saying?” I asked impatiently.

She signed deeply. “Listen, Draven has always been closer to the edge than the rest of us. We all see or perceive the da mn ed differently. Aden sees lost dreams, I see emotions – Charlie somehow sees it all, but Draven has only seen the darkest parts of those souls’ lives…we knew he was different; we just didn’t realize how different he was until a few months back. More so in the last few weeks.”

“What happened? Why do I see fear in your eyes?”