Witness: See Series (Volume 1)(60)

“Britain made it seem like the both of us were nothing more than a charity case to you then. He said that we were now addicted to your power, and sooner or later we’d pull from it just to sustain life in this world. The moment we did that, Silas would have reason and cause to end us.”

“I heard Silas say the same thing - but that’s not gonna happen, at least not for you. I don’t know if I can trust Britain or not; my focus is on you.”

Draven reached his fingertips for my eyes and began to trace them. “I think he’s falling for Madison.”

“Did he say that?” I asked, growing more convinced that there was more going on between them than I realized.

“Not in so many words. She was there with me, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. He was saying how remarkable it was that I’d lived so closely to so many powerful lights without feeling the temptation to draw on their power. He told us that Madison’s light in that dream world matched yours, that he remembered her soul from long ago, and that they’d fought before but never found the cause to end the existence of each other. He said he didn’t realize who she was until a few months ago, when she began to plague his dreams.”

“He haunts hers,” I said, knowing that Madison had no idea why she dreamed of Britain or that other guy and would rather avoid sleep than try to understand them.

“I don’t know…it was easy to see he had feelings for her. At one point, it felt like he was asking me for permission to see her.”

“Smart man. Did you tell him he had to clear it with Aden, too?” I teased.

A sleepy smile came to the corners of his lips. “No. I’ll let him figure that one out on his own. I was too worried about finding you.”

“So Britain has been replaced by Silas?” I said to myself as I made a mental note not to worry about him anymore.

Draven’s jaw tightened. “In one perspective, but not the other.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that Britain said that he won’t be able to stop himself from pulling your power before long, that your light is like an addiction to him. He said that once he attempts that, I’ll have an instinct to claim your power as my own - and that act will give Silas the reason he needs.”

“Then I’m gonna have to figure out how not to tempt anyone with this so-called light – or find a way for Britain to draw it from somewhere else.”

A moment of clarity came over me. “Wait - why couldn’t Madison help him? If she helps him and I help you, then Silas will have no reason – and we can go back to the way things were, where we help the shadows.”

“I don’t think she’s ready for that....he makes her nervous....maybe nervous is the wrong word....she doesn’t act like herself around him - she’s to guarded.”

“I’m her best friend; I would know that, not you. You and Aden have been too busy blocking anyone from being with her; now, you have no excuse. There’s someone that knows what she is and how important what we do is.”

“You may be her best friend, but I’ve seen her in that realm. She’s afraid of her power and even more afraid to give her heart away. She doesn’t trust herself or anyone else.”

“That’s just the Scorpio in her. She wants to understand what can’t be explained. She tried to get me to go to yoga today – yoga,” I said, raising my eyebrows.

My awkward expression made him laugh. “She’s just trying to find her own way in. She doesn’t like drifting through the memories of others; she feels likes she’s invading their privacy.”

My eyes drifted to the guitars across the stage. “One day, I need to convince her to play; that way, she could use the way you’ve found.”

“Music isn’t in her soul like yours…art is her gift.”

“You’d think she would try and find a way there though that gift.”

“I asked her to, but she doesn’t want to. She said that music is alive and art is the echo of what was alive. I think she’s afraid she won’t find her way back; that’s why I’m telling you that she isn’t ready for someone like Britain or anything that we’re going through.”

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow – today – when I see her,” I said as I realized that this had to have become one of the longest days of my life.

We laid in silence for a while. I then glanced to my side at him to find his eyes closed. I moved closer to him, laid my head on his chest, and listened to his innocent breaths.

“This is my plan: we’ll finish that song and have a concert. If it works, good; if not, oh well. We’re out of here at that point,” I whispered.

I felt his arms tighten around me. “Good plan,” he whispered.

I looked up to see his eyes still closed. I laid my head back down and started to play out the chords of the part of the song I’d written in my mind. I’d let him sleep for now - but as soon as he woke, we were going to finish this.





Chapter Thirteen


The feeling of someone squeezing my ankle pulled me out of the dream I was having. I didn’t even know that I’d fallen asleep; I’d never stopped thinking about the sound I was trying to make stronger. I opened my eyes to see Evan at our feet.

“What time is it?” I asked as I yawned.