He paused to see if I was following him. I nodded once, telling him to go on. In my mind, I could hear Alamos explaining this to him.
“Even though Alamos has been guiding Drake through these trials, he’s been plotting this night. Life on the island perished close to two million years ago, but he asked August to help him find members of Chara to help rebuild it, restore it to a modern sacred ground.”
“I see,” I mumbled as I saw the ruins of that place disappear and luxurious homes appeared. It would take a skilled eye to realize that this place was built in under a month’s time.
Draven’s grin grew. I knew I was making him proud with how insanely easy I was seeing now, but I didn’t feel proud; I felt out of control.
“Alamos said that he knew that if all of them survived to the point of the Jupiter trial that we would have an edge, that we could play the card of that island. The people in this dimension are deeply superstitious, and if anyone arrives on the shores of Delen openly supporting Drake, even the traitors will have to play into the people.”
“Who is arriving from that island, mate?” Cashton asked.
I already knew the answer: us. We were posing as sacred people who supported Drake’s rule.
My wince gave Cashton the answer he needed.
“Fan-freaking-tastic,” he slurred.
“If all goes well and Drake is supported as the ruler and Esterious turns out to be the heart of the darkness, the power The Realm is using, then we should see a domino effect, one that hopefully will lead to the end of The Realm, the harvest of damned souls for power.”
“Funny how all of you were led to believe that,” Cashton said as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.
“Are you telling us not to do this?” I asked, knowing from the images I was seeing through Draven that I had little to no choice. They were counting on us.
“I’m telling you that dimension is not the heart of anything. It’s one sovereign Escort’s playground.”
“Well, his playground has a lot of damned souls in it, and until you showed up in my life I was kinda focused on redeeming the damned.”
“Good focus. Just had the means out of whack.”
I glanced at Draven, trying to see what plan he had committed to. I heard Alamos tell him how he would play the part of the ruler of that island and that he would arrive with me and Madison on his arm. Madison, a girl that looks...just...like...Willow.
“Does Madison know you are using her in this game? Having her play Willow is not a good idea.”
“They planned to use Olivia because her features are close enough, but Madison all but demanded to play the part.”
He was right. I saw her say it in his thoughts. I knew it was to protect Olivia and me. She was fond of Olivia, and Madison knew if she did this she would be next to me.
“Tonight, a massive ship will dock on the shores of Delen, and I along with you, my counterpart, and my sister Madison will get off, accompanied by three hundred members of Chara who will be posing as our guards, our court, our priest.”
“You really think we can pull this off - fool those people?”
A shy smile came to the corners of Draven’s lips. “I’ve been assured that not only is there a bold connection of energy between me and you, but because that energy is so bold, we can easily play this part.” His gaze drifted all around me as wonder filled his eyes. “Anyway,” he said with a breath, focusing himself again, “I play the part of the leader of the sacred people and offer my support to Drake as ruler - and just by chance, my sister looks exactly like the deities they have been waiting on.”
“Oh, mate, trust me: your energy is right on point. More than likely too much on point,” Cashton said as those eyes of his landed on me. He was worried about me. As far as he was concerned, we just put a big ‘X’ across ourselves.
“How does this help them?” I asked Draven.
“Apparently these ceremonies, the courting of a king to his would-be queen, can take months. But having an army of Chara citizens in that palace unquestioned would allow them not only to protect Drake, but also whomever he spends his time with. It’s his own Trojan Horse. The court that belonged to Donalt cannot refuse the people from the place of his birth, and apparently my level of energy is powerful enough to resemble Donalt's - not to mention that both Perodine and Alamos are going to condone this - and they never agree. That act will almost seal the deal that the court and the kingdom will play along with this plan.”
“Okay, so that makes sense. But how are we going to clear up anything tonight if we are embarking on this masquerade?”
“It’s going to prove whether August’s theory is correct.”
Cashton and I both looked at him like he was insane. What did August have to do with this?
“They think the children are slipping away because Willow and Landen are not moving forward, that this trial that lingers around Jupiter has to do with expansion, moving ahead. The only clear action we can take is to get the dimension of Esterious out of limbo. Apparently, the children were at their happiest the day the sun shined in Delen for the first time, and in the weeks since then they have drifted into themselves. A few days ago when Landen and Willow took off, not to be heard from, and we fell asleep, they began to meditate deeply.”
“The prodigies are your clocks,” Cashton stated. “They can’t see or move forward unless you do. So, it sounds to me like these chaps you are running with have been guided blindly and now they are waking up. Tonight might do you some good in the long run. At least draw out who you two are supposed to conquer.”
I took in a deep breath then locked eyes with Cashton, seeing the dark and the blue at once.
“If I move forward, I see our parents again?”
“Little one,” he said with a sigh, “sometimes you have to leave the nest to find your wings. If we prevail, we can visit. We lose, it’s not really going to matter, now is it?”
“This is not us, Cashton. We don’t play the part of kings and run between dimensions and realms; we play music and help the damned.” I glanced at Draven. “I think I have only seen him in a suit, like, once before.”
Draven grinned to agree.
“It’s a corner you have backed yourself into for now,” Cashton said. “Just don’t lose sight of the escape Dad surely taught you.”
Draven reached for me and pulled me to him. “I think we are going to play live soon. I had planned to play in New Orleans for a friend of Dad’s.” I nodded, vaguely remembering him mentioning that in the past. “Apparently, Nana and Dad still think I need to. This suit is not me, I agree. But I honestly thought setting this up would make you happy because it would protect Monroe in the long run.”
I tightened my arm around him, feeling the hum of his energy and silently told him that I would have done the same with the exception of letting his brother take off. But if he was planning on playing soon, then he was planning on tracking down Aden.
“What time is it?” I asked, knowing if there was one person who knew what paths to cross or not to cross, it was Monroe. I wanted to talk to her.
“Ten forty-five.”
“Monroe’s here?” I questioned, seeing my answer as I said it.
She was on a porch. I hoped it was the one attached to this house. I only had fifteen minutes before she fell into a deep meditation.
Before he could answer me, I was out the door, running down the steps to find her. I needed her help.
Chapter Eight
If this were any other time, I might have stopped to see what books were filling the shelves on every single wall in this house, even the ones on the wide staircase that I followed down to the bottom floor. When I reached the bottom stair I heard muffled voices coming from what I thought was a study at the end of the hall. I decided to go the opposite way toward the front door. It was open, but there was a glass door blocking my way. At first glance it was mesmerizing, simply because the house I was in was dim from all the books along the walls. But
outside the sun was bright, the field was a lush green, and the flowers across it were so bright that they seemed unnatural.
I opened the glass door, feeling a cool, yet bleakly warm breeze flow over me. It slammed behind me louder than I intended, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a small, frail figure jump at the sound of it. My eyes darted in that direction, and near the corner of the porch, sitting on a pillow pallet, was Monroe. She looked so out of place, dressed head-to-toe in her signature Goth style within an array of light that the sun was cascading over her.
Her dark eyes met mine with what looked like dismay. Cautiously, I began to walk to her. Holding her stare, I saw the same visions I’d seen days ago: the stairway, the raging water encased with flames, blood trickling down the steps.
A ghost of a smile came to her eyes just as I reached her.
“You slept, so now you know your legacy,” she said so quietly that I almost doubted she said it aloud.
“It’s been mentioned to me,” I said as I kneeled in front of her.
Right about then, Cashton appeared beside me. I expected some sarcastic remark from him or another all-knowing comment, but not a word came from him. Instead, he bowed to one knee and lowered his head.
“Rise,” Monroe said with a whisper.
As he raised his head so his eyes were level with hers, I had to let out a gasp: Monroe’s eyes - which were always dark - had begun to change. They were lighter now, a few shades darker than Silas’, yet emerald green and gray swam within that deep hazel shade.
“I have hope now,” Cashton whispered to her.
Monroe smiled innocently. “And it is needed, Selected.”
“How twisted are we?” he asked with a deep husk in his voice.
“More than words can explain.”
“Has the queen of the veil emerged?” he asked with an ache in his voice.
“Emerging.”
“Is she in transition?”
Monroe’s eyes echoed a ‘Yes.’
“How do you know that, Monroe?” I asked nervously.
“She knows it all,” Cashton said with awe in his voice. “The essence that created her was hand-picked by the Creator himself. Metallic. Her energy is metallic.”
I could not disagree more. I was determined to kill her father; so was Willow.
“Monroe, do you know what I am doing tonight?”
Her eyes - which were beyond mesmerizing - stated ‘Yes.’
“And you are not going to stop me?”
“It’s a path you chose.”
“Right, and it was done to protect you. So you tell me if it is wrong.”
Nothing.
“Do you know your brothers are pitted against each other?”
She nodded with a degree of sadness in her eyes.
“Should I be standing between them? Would that protect you longer?”
If I could just hide her long enough to figure out what was going on, that would help. I didn’t need Winston letting her father or anyone in his command know where Monroe was. She was already at risk because Bianca was here before.
“My brothers are not the ones you should stand between.”
A sick feeling rose in my throat. “Look at me,” I commanded. Her eyes locked with mine. “Right now, you stop me. If going through with what they have planned tonight is dangerous or will hurt us in the long run, you stop me. Do you hear me?”
Cashton looked at me like I was insane, like I had no right to talk to her that way.
“Even if I chose to, I could not stop you.”
“What would you do if you were me, Monroe? And don’t say we are all one, so it doesn’t matter - because no matter what, something has to be done.”
“We are all one. What we are going through now proves that. If you do nothing, there is no reason for anyone to wake, especially me. If you move forward and fail, at least you know what isn’t the answer. You feel it, Charlie, inside. You feel it.”
Her eyes slowly closed as she sat up straighter, and instantly I felt a calm feeling all around me. I didn’t even have to look at the clock; it had to have been eleven by now, and she had slipped away before my eyes.
I didn’t move from my place. I wanted to ‘see’ her, to know what she was witnessing in this deep thought - but all I could see was placid darkness. Figures.
“Leaving a few details out of your life on this side,” Cashton said with a whisper, standing and moving away as if he thought it rude to gaze at her while she was meditating.
“I told you I was protecting someone.”
“You have no idea who she is, do you?”
“Enlighten me.”
“Not a chance. If she has kept you blind, then she has a reason. Mum saw her? She stayed with you?”
“Yeah, Mom almost demanded it.”
“That must be what clicked her into place. I bet she was always confused about what her soul was telling her. Probably fought it right up to the point where she left with Dad.”
“Are you telling me that The Fall can muck with your senses for the better part of forty years?” I got that he was defending her - but still, Mom could have prepared me for this.
“They took a huge gamble, a tremendous risk both coming here. Finding each other was a miracle in itself – conceiving you, ensuring that when you fell from the grace of a Witness that you landed safely was nothing less than a miracle, one that they had to perform blindly with only whispers of their soul to guide them.”
“They suffered,” I said as tears encased my throat.
I had always felt robbed, that my parents were robbed – but Cashton was making it out to be my fault, that my mother lived the life she did to save me from bad choices or what have you.
“They are not suffering now,” he said, reaching for my hand. I took it, and he pulled me into a hug. “I know this is a lot, but you have to understand that the time they were here was a breath compared to what they lived together before and will after this point. They took on a role for a mere moment to help us out, to get us to the fate we were born to reach. We are going to make them proud.”
“Kara is not going to understand that.”
“Your sista?” he questioned. I nodded against his chest. “Where is she?”
“Mom set it up for her husband to fly her away. She is with him, but Mom and I were all she had.”
“She made sure she was safe and happy. When we get through this we can watch over her from where we stand, visit. The time has come for you to fly, little one. I’ll help you through it until I have to fight my own master Escort.”
“At least you have a way to reach the queen of the veil,” I said, letting him go and nodding to Monroe.
“Trying to get rid of me?” he teased.
“Just not used to having someone at my side constantly.”
“Well, I’m going to stay at your side until you get through this night - but don’t get any crazy ideas. I don’t plan on bunking with you and Draven.”
That made me blush. I don’t think Draven and I had ever shared a bed for an entire night. We always fell asleep wherever sleep found us. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the freedom to do that. Half of me was scared; the other half was overjoyed.
For no reason, Monroe began a near silent chant.
‘...there was a girl...she loved him so, she divided her soul...there was a boy...he loved her so, he divided his soul...’
She repeated that a few times before growing silent again. I glanced up at Cashton, but his eyes were firmly placed on Monroe, evaluating her every move. You would think she was a queen or a goddess with the amount of respect he was giving her.
“That was one of my favorite stories,” I heard someone say from behind me.
Defensively, I looked over my shoulder to find Rose standing at the top of the stairs that led to the porch. Across her arm were some kind of dress or dresses. She draped them across the railing then came to my side.
I smiled shyly when I realized that she didn’t acknowledge Cashto
n. I truly hoped he wasn’t about to find a way to make me look like a fool in front of this sweet lady.
“What story is that?” I mumbled as visions of this woman started to spill into my mind. I didn’t get it; one minute I had to strain to see, and the next second it was a flood I could not control. Maybe it was Chara itself that was doing it to me.
Rose walked over to Monroe, and from her pocket she pulled out a small bouquet of what looked like green weeds and placed them in Monroe’s lap before smiling slightly.
“What’s that?” I asked, squinting from the visions of her life that flashed before me. She was a gifted traveler, had seen worlds and places that only the wildest imaginations could think to create.
“Many names in many dimensions. I call it mugwort simply because that is the easiest name to remember.”
I smirked, thinking that would be a ridiculously hard word to forget.
“And what does it do?”
“Protects you on your journey into the dream world. May I?” Rose asked as she pulled a necklace out of her pocket.
One glance at the necklace that resembled an odd shaped black rock told me that it was a family heirloom.
“That’s yours,” Cashton said with a gasp.
I could tell he wanted to show himself to her just so he could grasp it from her. Every muscle in his body was tensed, and the blue in his dark eyes was flaring.
Rose unclasped the silver chain that was thicker than any jewelry I’d ever owned and reached to put it around my neck. Immediately, the intensity of the visions stopped. They were still there, but it was more like distant thoughts, ones I could call to action if needed - but now they were not controlling me anymore. I didn’t have to think to silence them.
I reached for the black rock around my neck. It was polished to the point where it looked like a glass. The musician in me saw the shape as a guitar, but I knew few others would see it that way. Inside, if I looked very closely I could see something moving within the rock, almost like green leaves...then again, it kinda looked like green stars.
“What’s this?”
“I assume it’s yours. Is it helping?” she asked in a whisper.