Synergy

  “What just happened?” Brady asked.

  Aden was elated. I could see it in his eyes as he answered Brady. “We do see the living, but we see way more of the dead. They seek us and we redeem them.”

  “How?” Willow asked.

  “We make them remember love,” Aden answered. “We say a word, describe something that brought that emotion to them, then they remember that they weren’t meant to be damned, that at one time the power of that emotion, love, belonged to them. They remember, so they’re redeemed.”

  “That’s what those words were? Words that simple?” Willow asked.

  “These are the darkest souls I’ve ever seen,” I said quietly, letting her know that nothing about what had just happened was simple.

  “They listened to you,” Willow said, locking eyes with me. I nodded once, still hearing my ears ring, feeling my heart race. “If I wasn’t here - how would you have stopped that many?”

  I glanced up at Draven as I put my arm around his back, hating that she’d just pinpointed our silent fight, which had just begun. I looked down. “At home - at home I show them my love for Draven. I tell them if they want to feel that, then they need to give me some space so I can help them.”

  “But you didn’t do that here,” Willow said as she glanced at Draven.

  I tightened my arm around Draven, feeling the tension in his body. “I didn’t. I didn’t because this is your world, your darkness. I won’t always be here; but you will. If they know you’re on their side, they won’t feed into the evil you’re fighting. They’ll protect you because you’re their light, their way out.”

  Willow moved closer to us, locking eyes with Draven. “When you saw me, did you see Landen teach me the insight of truth?”

  Draven nodded as every muscle in his body hardened.

  “He would find peace around all of you. Do you want to know why?” Willow asked.

  Draven didn’t answer her. She looked down at me. “Because all of you speak the truth. There’s no doubt in your words.” She smiled weakly. “Thank you for teaching me that. I know that the love I feel you have for Draven would have helped them faster because you knew what you were doing, and because that love is just as powerful and real as what I feel for Landen...I will hold on to that lesson, I promise.”

  With her simple words, she ended the silent fight between me and Draven just as quickly as it began. He turned me in his arms and kissed me tenderly at first, but then the passion that our touch always created took over. He was telling me he was sorry once again, and I was telling him he had no reason to be sorry. Shyness caused us to pull away as we heard Brady ask if the others could come in now.

  We were picking up the bags we’d dropped when Ashten and Winston stepped into the entry hall. A cold wind caused me to halt. Draven’s eyes met mine, and I saw the dread I felt there. Grayson came through next with the traveler that was with Ashten, and the room became so cold that I felt my teeth chatter. Before I could say anything that would keep Monroe in the string, Austin stepped through with her. At that moment, a growl thundered through the room. I knew that growl ... it had been embedded in my memory: it was the evil angel.

  I glanced over my shoulder to find that it had manifested in the center of the room. I swear it looked bigger there. Its ash wings spread over twenty feet in each direction, and its body was bold and strong. Though its image was portraying a beautiful man, I knew what it could become. Monroe and her brothers had stolen its attention. I reached for Monroe and pulled her behind Draven, then held her as tightly as I could. Winston stepped forward and smiled wickedly at the angel, and it returned the gesture. Grayson stole its attention as he said, “Give her back.”

  The angel let out a bellow that framed one word, one command: “Come.”

  I noticed that the angel’s image was moving, like something was hitting it. Then I saw Willow, Brady, and Olivia with their hands extended like they were pushing some kind of invisible energy at it, but it was having little to no real effect.

  Grayson glanced over his shoulder, ensuring that Monroe was safely in my arms. Aden and Madison were doing their best to help me shield her behind Draven.

  The angel waved its hand, and a force that I couldn’t see or explain pushed us all away from Monroe, leaving her completely defenseless. I screamed her name, but my voice was silent. I couldn't move; none of us could.

  As Monroe locked eyes with the angel, she was just as calm and placid as she always was. Slowly, she said, “Pater me temptatis.” I knew enough Latin to know that she’d said, “Father, tempt me not,’” or at least something close to that. My greatest fear was confirmed: that evil being was her father.

  It was clear that those words were powerful. A fierce, cold wind blew through the room, and the angel’s expression grew sad, as if he were human or had the emotions a father would have for his daughter. I saw waves of energy ripple across his image and noticed that Willow and the others were pushing everything they had at it. It must have worked because the angel vanished.

  Grayson dove across the floor and pulled Monroe to him, then rocked her from side to side as Draven helped me up. His eyes were locked on Winston. None us could find a way to trust him; it was like he wanted to go with that angel, that he wanted his father to take him somewhere deep in The Realm. I was terrified for Monroe. No one should have to face what she just faced, especially a child. This entire situation brought new meaning to the phrase ‘dysfunctional family.’

  I noticed Willow’s stare and said, “I told you I didn’t want to bring our demons to your doorstep,” in a vague attempt to apologize.

  “And I told you they were already here,” she said, clearly not bothered by the display Monroe’s dad had shown them.

  I couldn't understand why she didn’t have more questions, why she didn’t demand to know who he was, who Monroe was. I was starting to understand how right Madison was; Willow was truly focused on one thing: Landen. She looked at Monroe, then to her brothers. “We’ll talk about this when you’re ready. We’re more than willing to help you, to help you and your family.”

  “You don’t want to help us,” Grayson said. “You want to destroy him, and that’s fine with me.” He quickly got a dirty look from Winston. It was becoming more and more clear to me that Winston was struggling to make a decision on whether or not he would become darkness. Grayson was struggling to talk him out of it and protect Monroe at the same time. Grayson had encouraged Monroe to be with me at my house to keep her away from Winston; I’d bet money he thought Winston would betray him and take her to their dad.

  “I don’t want to destroy him. I just want him to stay out of my dimension. Out of all of them,” Willow said placidly.

  Willow came to my side and put her hand on my shoulder, sending that calm emotion through me. She must have known I needed it, that I was terrified and angry at the same time. She let go of me and made it a point to touch both Aden and Draven. She hesitated before she touched Madison, but she did anyway, and I could see the gratitude in Madison’s eyes; Willow had managed to take the edge we were all on away.

  Willow glanced back at all of us. “They’ll find rooms for all of you. Hopefully, you won’t need them long. When you’re ready to help me, I’ll be with Landen.” She then left the room with Olivia and Brady at her side.

  I walked over to Monroe. I wasn’t taking another step forward unless she assured me that I should. Her safety was more important to me than where Landen was. He obviously had enough people fighting for him; Monroe only had us.

  Chapter Twelve

  I had a sick feeling that told me I’d just made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I didn’t hide Monroe; I served her up on a sliver platter for her father. I was furious that Silas knew I was coming here and had made no attempt to stop it. How could he do that? It was just as bad as the fact that I knew right now that he was watching others die, waiting to turn them into what he was. I wanted to know what he was waiting for the rest of us to turn into, and I was prep
ared to rip him into shreds when I saw him again.

  Monroe’s eyes grew sad as that thought crossed my mind, which just made me angrier. She trusted too much.

  “Monroe,” I said quietly, feeling the stares of the others, “do I need to step back into that string with you? Do we need to go home?”

  She reached for my arm, and with her touch I found myself in The Realm. I watched as I fought to get to Landen and Drake. I watched as the Escorts that were sent to stop me fell to the ground, blood running from their ears. I felt the promise that I would save them, one way or another. I was mad that she didn’t answer me and pulled myself out of that vision.

  “I can do that from home. Are you telling me to leave?”

  “Please don’t go,” I heard Ashten say. I looked away from Monroe and found his blue eyes pleading with me. “We need you, all of you.”

  I glanced at Draven, the others, knowing that I whatever I decided would be what we all did, knowing that I was leader of this group. My eyes found Ashten. “I’ll help your son, but I can do that from wherever I am. This child is who I have to figure out how to help. We’re her last line of defense. Your son has thousands of people fighting to defend him; we don’t have that luxury.”

  “You do now,” Ashten said, stepping closer to me and Monroe. “I don’t know much about you. I’ll admit that, but I can tell you that somewhere in time you asked to be here, all of you did. Your path was predicted. You are now a part of this family, this war. Monroe is safe in our care.”

  “Did you not see what just happened?” I asked him. “That was her father. He followed her here, and if he manages to capture her, whatever predictions you’ve seen or heard will have no meaning because none of us will have an emotion to our name. We’ll have no desire to fight for anything.”

  I felt Draven’s arm go around my waist and the sympathetic stares from the others.

  “He didn’t follow her here,” Ashten said confidently. “That was the ghost of Donalt, a man that ruled this dimension for over four million years. My son killed him, and now we fight his memory, his ghost; we fight a curse he put on this family.”

  So that is why Willow didn’t seem surprised by what just happened. We really were fighting the same evil. “You have no idea how special she is. This is not a normal child,” I said breathlessly, furious that I was right. I had walked her right into a trap, into the lair that her father lived in.

  “If you could see me, then you would know that I already have three children in my care like Monroe,” Ashten said, leaning down and allowing me to look as closely as I needed to.

  I asked “Who?” in my mind, and instantly I saw Preston, that little boy. Then I saw Brady’s daughter, then another little girl that was Preston’s age. Libby - that was her name; she was Willow’s baby sister. I saw how those children led them, how they would offer simple phrases that predicted what would occur, how they let them continue on a path that would bring tragedy, yet in the end this family was stronger because of that act. Then Silas’ words echoed in my mind, and I knew that Monroe was the same, yet different than them.

  “They were born of light. Monroe has both light and darkness within her,” I said quietly, pushing my point, but being careful of his feelings. It was obvious he would lay down his life for any member of this family, even Monroe’s.

  “Which means she should be with us,” Ashten said.

  I looked at Draven for some kind of help. He was staring at Grayson. “Let’s get Landen back,” he said quietly.

  Before I could argue, Ashten turned to lead us out of the room.

  “Are we not going to talk about this?” I whispered harshly, not believing he’d just committed us to staying there.

  “Not with him. Find August. Aden and I will go to where Landen and Drake’s bodies are. If I can’t help them instantly, then you need to take Monroe to Chara.”

  “I’m not leaving you here.”

  “Fine,” he said, locking his jaw, knowing we didn’t have time to argue. “Then find a way to get her there. Find people you trust here.”

  I looked down at Monroe to see agreement in her dark eyes. I took her hand and followed Ashten down the hall. He looked over his shoulder. “I’ll take you to a room where you can put your things down first.”

  Draven nodded to Grayson and Aden. They both moved to the right side of the hallway, purposely pushing Madison to the left side. Draven was trying to block her from something. There was no doubt he’d already looked deep into everyone around him. He knew where Landen and Drake’s bodies were, and he was preparing to break off from us and find them.

  The hallway we were in was vast. The ceiling was over a hundred feet high, and paintings of angels and demons at war decorated the space above us. Madison was completely captivated by the art. There were countless doors, couches between them, and tables. This was the most elegant place I’d ever been in, a palace that was trapped in time.

  Draven reached for my hand and squeezed it once, then kissed my temple. Before we reached the next doorway, he let go of my hand and reached for Aden. The two of them stopped, and I looked over my shoulder to see him nod for me to go on.

  My heart started to race; I knew we were only feet away from where Drake’s body was. I looked forward to see that Madison was still captivated by the art around us. It took her a second to notice that she couldn’t feel Draven or Aden anymore. I nodded for her to walk ahead, that we were taking control of this out of control situation.

  Ashten stopped five doors down from where Draven and Aden had left us, then opened the door to the right. Winston and Grayson stepped in first, then the rest of us. This was a massive, elegant bedroom. A bed with a canopy centered the wall to the left, and a large sitting area with a fireplace was to the right. It was like a small apartment.

  “Where are the Taurus twins?” Ashten asked as we let our bags fall to the ground.

  “Helping,” I said, letting go of Monroe and nodding for her to go sit on the couch.

  Ashen quickly stepped back into the hallway and looked in both directions, then looked back at me before glancing at all of us. “Listen, I don’t know what you can see or already know, but you need to be careful. Don’t wander off. We have this wing secure, but anything could happen if you step out of the safety perimeter we’ve established.”

  “You mean like Dear Old Dad stopping by for a visit?” Winston said as he collapsed into one of the couches.

  “No,” Ashten said firmly. “I mean anything.” He looked at Austin. “Keep them here. I’ll send food and find someone who can help us understand this,” he said as he glanced at Monroe.

  “Good luck with that,” Winston said. Grayson gave him an murderous glance, then looked at Ashten. “Thank you,” he said. Ashten nodded, then he left the room.

  “This sucks. Where’s the TV?” Winston asked.

  He wanted me to kill him. Didn’t he. “Listen to me, you evil bastard,” I said, throwing my bag down. “I don’t know if you’re rebelling or if this is some kind of middle child syndrome, but you’re going to straighten up right now. Your sister is in danger. Do you even care?”

  His eyes instantly turned black. I didn’t care if he was trying to see me; I was sure he knew more than I did. A second later, a laptop appeared in his lap. He wasn’t trying to get information, to try and understand what was going on; he’d seen his way home, picked up his laptop, and brought it back just to entertain him while we saved the world.

  Grayson looked at me. “Ignore him.”

  “Trying.”

  “Go find him,” Grayson said.

  “August?” I whispered, making sure that was what I supposed to do. Grayson and Draven communicated so quickly sometimes that it was hard for me to grasp it.

  “We need to stay here,” Austin ordered. “They aren’t joking; this is the most dangerous dimension we could be in.”

  “Yet we’re here,” Madison said sarcastically.

  Austin ignored her and looked at me for understanding.


  “Listen,” I said, “I know what I’m doing. If I can’t find who I’m looking for, I might need you to take them to Chara. Can you do that?”

  I could see how nervous he was; it was easy to notice because he’d never been that way around me. He stepped closer to me, urging me away from the others. “Taking you there, the four of you, was never a fear of mine because I love all of you. You’re family, and no myth would reject you from my world because I felt that way. I don’t know them. I have sympathy for them, but I can’t tell you that I love them enough to protect them if that myth has any truth to it.”

  “He doesn’t,” Madison said, coming to our side. “I can feel what you’re saying.” She looked at me. “His emotion is just not strong enough. He’ll protect them, but love isn’t there.”

  “Then I need to find someone who understands them and can keep them safe.” I reached for Austin’s arm. “Stay right here with them. I’ll be right back.”

  “We’ll be right back,” Madison corrected.

  “Madison, you of all people need to exercise caution.”

  “Then I’ll exercise caution at your side.”

  “Fine.” I looked across the room at Monroe and said, “I’ll be right back.” She didn’t say anything to stop me, so that gave me the courage to leave.

  I turned to leave before Austin could stop me. When I left the room, I turned the opposite way from where we’d come. I knew Draven and Aden were the other way, and he wouldn't have told me to look for August if he were in the same room with Landen and Drake’s bodies. Madison lingered close to me in the wide hallway. “I really hope you have a plan, Charlie. This place is massive.”

  “I don’t, but I saw this palace in Willow’s memories. They spend most of their time on this hall. I think there’s a study ahead; I saw August there a lot through her.”

  “Must be nice to see her,” she mumbled.

  “I told you to stay behind, didn’t I?” I said, getting tired of her sarcasm.

  “I’m not going to let you walk these halls alone.”