Vindicate (Insight #5)(84)

Landen reached his arm around me and pulled me to his bare chest, which he could not cover with the broken buttons of his shirt. I moved my arms around his warm waist and looked at Ashten and Marc.

“They were just telling me how brave and fearless you are,” Landen said as he rested his chin on my head.

“Crazy is more like it. Sane now,” I assured .

“Not crazy,” Ashten said. “Just a lot of power and no time to learn to control it.”

“Everybody else left? We just need Charlie and the others?” I clarified.

“I believe so,” Ashten said.

“Do you think Stella will come home for dinner?” I asked Marc.

“Anything’s possible,” Marc said, raising his eyebrows.

“Am I right in thinking Beth is below me?” I thought.

“Did you say Beth was in the Chapel?” Landen asked Marc.

“Yeah, I’ll take you, Willow.”

“You’re not coming?” I asked Landen.

He opened his shirt. “I’m not go ing into a chapel half-dressed…” He looked down at me and smiled slightly. “I think you would have a better chance at convincing her to do anything. She favors you, ” he thought.

“She doesn’t dislike you.”

“No, but …Motherhood is something I will always respect but never under stand. A man telling her to tell a lie would be an insult to injury – a woman… a beautiful woman like you will have better odds.”

I smiled and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him , feeling that fire in his touch again. Wide-eyed I caught his stare, but he didn’t seem to notice that anything was off about him . Ashten took off the black cloak he was wearing and put it around me. Landen pulled up the hood.

“Come on, I’ll take you the secret way,” Marc said, holding out his arm.

I took it and looked back at Landen. “Will you get everyone ready? I’m ready to go home.”

He smiled, revealing the dimples I loved so much, and nodded once.

Marc led me into a room that was two doors down, and in that room he moved a bookcase, opening a passageway for us.

“Why are there so many passages? What’s wrong with normal hallways?” I asked sarcastically as I stepped down the stone staircase before us.

Marc chuckled. “It wouldn’t be Est erious without the mysterious.”

I elbowed him as we walked down the steps. “Hey, are you alright? I mean, with mocking Drake , with Stella’s ne w role as the all-seeing oracle?”

He laughed under his breath. “Willow, I knew, I always knew in my life we would be here. Something told me that the girl I would love would have a strong role here…now I didn’t know the details -- t he whole long lost brother thing, but regardless, we’re here and when we don’t want to be, we’ll leave. I t’s as simple as that.”

“Has she left that looking glass?” I asked.

“A few hours h ere and there. I just left her, t hough . She said all is calm through the night. I’m sure she’ll go home for a few hours.”

“Just don’t let her spend the rest of her life staring into that pool. I don’t care i f you take her to Chara or not, b ut make sure she sees the sun. Swear .”

“Swear ,” he said as we reached a door. He slid it back quietly. “I’ll wait right here. I d on’t think she knows its over. I haven’t told her, at least.”

Behind the door was a red drape. I pulled the hood on the cloak I was wearing down a little further and glided from behind the drape.

This was a gorgeous chapel. The ceiling was over a hundred feet high, and the paintings, the stories of angels at war, were breathtaking. The only light was from the altar where thousands of candles were lit. Beth was sitting in the pew all alone in this majestic place.

I walked slowly to her side, taking in her emotion of grief. I didn’t want to add to that. I decided I would just ask her where she stood with what Drake needed.

I sat down beside her and reached for her hand.

“What…why …why have they sent you to speak to me? What happened?” she asked in a trembling voice.

“He’s home,” I whispered.

Her elation was immediate. She squeezed my hand tightly but kept her stare with the altar. “I thought I felt him,” she whispered.

“Guess what?” I said slyly.

She looked to her side at me as concern came to her.

“He’s coming to dinner. He’s going to Chara.”

“Are you serious?”

I nodded. “I told him he owed me,” I said, winking at her.

She moved her head from side to side. “You are the only one he listens to.”

“Am I? I think he listens to you. I think he’s aware about how you feel about his life.”

Her eyes connected with mine. “Has my son sent you to plea for his reign. A re you to ask what he cannot find the courage to?”

I grimaced. “I don’t think he lacks courage. I think he respects you and his father too much to disgrace that.”

“But you do not?”

“I didn’t say that,” I said, squeezing her h and. “If he hasn’t asked you …then how did you know what the question was?”

She looked at me like I was insane. “Do you not think that Alamos has not had my ear since before this began? Do you think I didn’t know this day was going to come?”