Vindicate (Insight #5)(82)
“Do me a favor,” Landen said to Brady. “Go home and tell mom to cook. Enough for everyone. I’m starving.”
“Gladly,” Brady said, reaching to pat Landen on the back before he nodded at the others then walked to the doorway.
“How long did you stop it this time?” Alamos asked, looking at Drake.
Drake glared. “Long enough to figure out that you invoked mourning. To understand where all our new friends came from,” Drake answered, looking around the room then settling his eyes on Madison.
I still couldn’t feel this girl, but I could see the anxiety all over her face. Their stare silenced the room. That is, until Madison broke away from his pull and stood and left the room. Charlie was right behind her.
“How clear do I need to be when I tell you that there are consequences to stopping time?” Alamos pressed.
“How clear do I need to be that I am not ready to be king?” Drake yelled.
His tone caused everyone’s eyes to grow wide.
Perodine tried to stop Alamos from walking toward Drake, but he brushed her hold off. “WHO is, son? No one. This is it. You take it, or we leave. We go find some island in the middle of nowhere and retire. Wait for hell to break lo o se – because that is what will happen – if you don’t stop acting like a coward.”
Drake’s face turned to stone. “I’m not going to hurt you, old man. Not here . Not now . But if you ever call me a co ward again – It will be your last words .”
Alamos’ shoulders fell as he closed the gap between him and Drake. He reached for Drake’s arm. “I’m sorry, son…I just need you to be the man I know you are. Don’t let him win. Not now. Not this close to the end.”
“I will win th is on my terms, not forced ones. I have enough to worry about without putting my mother’s heart in play.”
“Drake,” I said quietly.
He glanced over his shoulder at me and saw the promise in my eyes. He nodded once, then turned and looked at Draven and held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Welcome to my kingdom.”
Aden stood out of respect, and Drake held out his hand for him to shake it. “Welcome . A nd thank you both.”
Drake nodded once at Perodine, thanking her in his own prideful way then walked to the doorway where Marc was standing. “Brother,” Drake said in a heavy tone. “You are a better man than me. I don’t know that I could have stepped into my shoes if I were you.”
“I know you would have,” Marc said, smiling slightly. “Of all my brothers – somehow you are the one I understand the most.”
Drake smiled and reached for his shoulder. “I could say the same.” And with that, Drake left the room.
My father never moved, but I saw his eyes look over Landen and me and a smile come to his face.
“I guess that means we’re well?” I said, grinning at him.
My father looked at Draven, then to me. “It means you’ve foun d your immortality once again. You helped. You put y our fears aside, and you helped. Keep doing that.”
“Promise,” I said quietly.
He turned to leave; holding the intent to find Ashten and tell him his son was safe – awake.
I looked at Draven and Aden. “Why don’t you get your things together. I want to take you to my home. I want you to meet our family.”
Before Draven or Aden could leave, Landen reached his hand out to offer them thanks. I smiled as I felt the humble emotion of all three. Then Draven and Aden eagerly left to find Charlie and Madison.
Now, Landen and I were alone with Alamos and Perodine.
“Thank you,” Landen said to the both of them.
Perodine bowed slightly, then blew out the candles on the altar.
“Jason is making all of you a pill to take,” Alamos stated .
“What kind of pill?” I asked, knowing my father was not a fan of any medicine unless it was needed.
“It’s just herbs,” Alamos promised. “They will naturally enhance yo ur sense. Give you focus. Hopefully enough that something like this won’t happen again.”
“I want to know how she got into their heads,” I said, reaching for Landen.
“Don’t we all,” Perodine said. “We are just not goi ng to let that happen anymore. Your mind is the one p lace that we need to protect.”
“Wh at is your insight on The Realm ?” I asked her.
“It’s hard for me to say. I know it’s a f eeding ground for dark energy. A place that anyone who wants to hurt someone can go. The energy there is lost and dark and will come to whomever calls it.”
“Do you think there is another side to it, though ? Like it’s guarding something, or that there is a war of light and darkness that we cannot perceive?” I asked.
As I said the words every muscle in Landen ’s body flexed as if he was remembering something. I wasn’t the only one that noticed his odd composure; Perodine and Alamo s ’ stare cascaded over him. I also knew I was the only one in the dark here, and that no one was going to enlighten me anytime soon.
“It’s hard for me to say…” Perodine whispered. “My focus has always been you . Keeping you sa fe, but as your wise August so eloquently phrases it , ‘Each of us are right, at least in part.’”
“Bringing these children here,” Alamos said calmly, “has opened doors that have remained close d for longer than my existence. My advice to you - expect e verything. There is no telling what is going to happen next.”