Vindicate

  “Where ’s Stella? With Marc?” August asked the room.

  “She was comforting Beth in the chapel , ” m y father answered.

  I looked down as August walked by. I was sure by now mourning was something Beth had grown use d to. I glanced at my dad. “Has…has anyone told Aubr e y ? Does she know ?” I asked as I fought my tearful voice and my eyes moved to Landen. I knew his mother would be insane. I knew I should bring her comfort, but I couldn’t ; it was all I could do to hold myself together right now.

  “Preston did , ” m y father said humbly.

  “What did he say?” I asked , looking for anything. A ny insight.

  “He told her that Landen had to go away to fight , but for her not to worry because he could feel that – that he needed us to be strong so we wouldn ’t make him weak , ” m y father said in a calm tone as he walked slowly to me. I reached my arms around his shoulders and let him rock me from side to side. I kne w then that I had to be strong. I had to hold it together so I wouldn ’t make Landen weak where he was. I needed to figure out how to make him stronger.

  Over my father’s shoulder , I saw Alamos release the drapes along the canopy of the massive bed Landen and Drake were lying in. “What are you doing?” I asked him . I didn’t want them closed in. I had to see them.

  “Giving them rest. They don’t need to be stimulated by any movement we make . A ll of their senses are elevated , ” m y father answered for Alamos.

  I walked past my father and opened the drapes. Not all the way , just enough that I co uld see the center of the bed. See their arms. The sides of their strong chest s as they took in air. No one argued with me. I t was a silent compromise.

  I felt Brady’s respect and gratitude grow and turned to see what had caused that spike in his emotion. Marc was in the doorway , and he took my breath away. He was wearing one of Drake’s suits. His hair was brushed back the way Drake always leaves his. His shoulders were pulled back , and the look of disdain for the position he was put in caused him to become a twin image of his brother.

  “What do I have to do again?” h e asked hoarsely as he locked eyes with Alamos.

  “You have to wait for Perodine to dress. We’ll stand at your side . That will show a unity. That will show Drake embracing the present – Donalt – add to the confusion of the rumor that he ’s dead.”

  “I don’t want them to doubt that victory , ” I said in firm protest.

  Alamos looked at me. “Yes , you do . Donalt ruled with an iron fist. The fear of him – the fear of his past rule will enforce the mourning. The silence we need.” He glanced at Drake’s body. “The time we need.”

  I didn’t bother to argue. I just walked to the edge of the be d and stared at Landen . I was lost in a vacant thought for countless moments. I kept listening…listening for Landen’s voice. I listened so closely – so deeply into my soul that I barely noticed when the bells began to ring.

  What is it about the sound of a bell ? The sound that could cause an emotion of pure joy or absolute misery? It’s the energy…the energy behind the person pulling the rope…when they’re happy , they pull the long rope to the bell with joy as if it were weightless…when the y’re sad , the rope seems as if it weighs a thousand pounds…the measured pull of the line creates a slow , long , deep sound that commands you into sadnes s. I couldn’t afford to be sad. Not if that meant I was making Landen weak in whatever realm he was in . I focused on another s ound – the sound with guitars. The one that brought misery to that girl.

  Holding that sound in my thoughts and the craving for revenge , I walked to the window to witness a ritual of the damned people that lived in this dimension. My father and Brady were standing in the shadows of the drapes. From their side , I could see the courtyard. The bells that were ringing from every corner of the palace and all throughout the city had caused people to come out of their shelters and walk slowly through the palace gates to center court. I could see no individualism, no color. It was as if they were one entity. One thought. The color… everything I had given this city had been washed away in one morning.

  Three stories down , there was a large balcony. Marc was standing in the center. Perodine was to his left, Alamos was to his right. Across the stone div ide before him was a wide black cloth , rolled tightly. On each side o f Marc , there were large vases full of black roses.

  Once the people had assembled, once there was no more room in center court , the bells stopped. Marc stepped forward and pushed the black cloth down. I could hear the pop of the cloth as it extended down ward ; at the same time , guards around the wall of the courtyard unrolled black cloths. One by one , I watch ed each section fall until the entire wall surrounding the palace was black. Then Marc reached for the roses , and one by one he tossed a rose down. One for each soul they were to mourn. I counted forty-two . I had no idea if that number was great or s mall in the minds of this world. I didn’t even know if the number was accurate.

  When the last rose had fallen , I felt the placid state of grief come over this dimension. It was cold , and with the shiver that ran down my spine , snow began to fall on the ma sses below. It fell so quickly, s o silently that the back roses, the cloths hanging from the balcony , and wall were now white. It was my way of telling them that the death of Donalt - the death of any of the traitors that ha d the nerve to call themselves priest was a necessary step in bringing them peace. I doubt my message was read clearly by the people, but Marc had understood me . He gazed up at the sky , then bowed his head just before he turned to leave.

  The silence had begun. Our time had been bought.

  I grew tired, so tired that I could barely stand. In a daze , I walked to the bed. I carefully crawled between Landen and Dra ke. I laid against Landen. I felt his breaths against my back. I heard his heartbeat. I closed my eyes as I reached across the bed for Drake ’s hand. His skin still hummed , but just barely. I felt him slipping away.

  I began to drift immediately. I fell so deeply in to sleep that the thought to let my soul rise – to stand watch over them even while my body slept , never had the chance to come.

  In my dreams , I heard echo e s. Echoes of laughter. Of passion. Of anger. Some were Landen’s voice , others were Drake’s…the n others came. Flashes of light. Memories came. I remembered the pain I had a few days ago, those moments I was in the desert , then on the stone floor. The women. The flower that drifted to my chest. I remember ed Nathaniel telling me it was feeding my heart the illusion that my soul mate was near. I remember ed Landen’s eyes when he saw the mark. How peaceful they were as he tried to unravel how a dream could have left that mark on me. What it meant.

  I li ngered in that moment with him, staring into his eyes, feeling his energy , for what felt like an eternity. Then something cruel happened.

  The skies in my dream burned with fire. Flames highlighted Landen’s beautiful face. Terror was the only emotion I could f eel. It wasn’t coming from him. It was the air. The air was suf focated with terror. Whispers. Dark whispers swarmed around us , then shadows came. I heard the seductive laugh of a woman and jump to my feet , looking for her.

  In the distance , I saw the silhouette of Drake on a b alcony that mocked the palace. A woman was circling h im. I t was her. Though she was what seemed like miles away , the birthmark on the back of her neck was glowing like fire. “I can’t save him alone , ” Landen said to me.

  I turned swiftly to see his eyes full of determination. I ntent on not giving in to this place. “Come back to me , ” I pleaded in a firm tone.

  He moved his head from s ide to side. “His death is ours. Find them , Willow ; they see everything.”

  “Who?” I yelled , but a fierce wind came and blew his image away. I screamed his name over and over , but my voice was gone . I turned to where Drake was. The woman had stepped back. Now feet from him , she raised her hand , and shadowed images appeared and began to surround him. Consume him. I ran to where he was, she was. I was going to kill her. Force her to give them
back, but the world around me changed ; it turned into the glow of the string. In front of me , I saw a small image. I ran faster until I saw the blond curls of Preston ; he was running – laughing – laughing as if he w ere the field of flowers playing with Libby.

  “This way , Willow,” he giggled over his sh oulder. Then I heard it again. That sound. The guitars. The drums. I knew where I was in the string. I was within the passages of Infante. Preston stopped at a gray haze. On both sides of it , there were violet hazes leading to different parts of Infante. I heard a guitar scream out a commanding sound , and just as I stepped in I heard a voice, a hypnotic voice. One I had heard before from the boy that was holding Charlie . I pushed forward , wan ting to confirm my thoughts. To see them. To make them come with me, but my anxiety caused me to lose my focus in this dream. I woke without warning.

  My entire body tensed as I tried to conceive the idea that all of that was just a dream. I slowly rose , finding myself in the nightmare of my life. Neither Landen nor Drake had moved. Both of them looked as i f they were peacefully dreaming. I squeezed Drake ’s hand as I let it go. I turned and kissed Landen’s soft lips tenderly before I crawled out of the bed.

  It was dark now. The only light in the room was coming from the dying fire in the fireplace and the lamp on the center of the table Perodine was working at. My father was asleep on the couch that faced the fireplace. Marc and Brady were stretched out on the parallel couches.

  I tiptoed to Perodine’s side. She had changed clothes again. She was no longer dressed as the Queen that stood on the balcony before ; she was in pants and a button up black shirt , and her long silver hair was pulled back into a ponytail. I like d it when she dressed like this. I t always ma de her seem more approachable. Willing to do more than give wise words . I t made her look like she was willing to fight in whatever way she needed to on my behalf. “Where is everyone?” I whispered.

  She laid her pencil down and pulled out the chai r beside her for me to sit down, t hen she nodded to where Marc was sleeping. “Alamos is trying to see how convincing Marc was…” She tilted her head down and raised her eyes. “To see if anyone read his and your promise as clearly as we did.”

  I furrowed my eyebrows to question her, still groggy from my dream.

  “You masked the color that was meant to bring grief in a beautiful blanket of snow…Marc nodded to the heavens as if he u nderstood the unspoken message. For some , that may mean that Drake is ruling with God in his heart. For others.” She sighed. “For others , it could be seen as a slap in the face. A s a man who will prevail over his past successors by undoing what is in place.”

  I smirked. “Well, it was just a nod . I t ’s late fall ; snow could be expected at anyti me. Marc didn’t mean any harm. Neither did I. Even if they consider it a slap in the face , it’s how Drake planned to rule , with or without me.”

  She nodded and smiled humbly. “Marc knew exactly what he was doing when he made that gesture. Whether you realize it or not , those brothers are very in tune with each other. They don’t need words , or even a past. Marc did exactly what Drake would have done if he were placed in that position.”

  My eyes gazed down at the scroll and the endless notes on the table as my dream raced through my thoughts. Landen was trying to tell me something. Explain why he had to leave me here. “Where is August?” I asked , wanting more than ev er to turn back time. To stop us from going into that dimension. To find a way to avoid this hell I was in.

  “He and Stella were with the looking glass , last I heard. Olivia and Chrispin have returned. I believe they are resting.” Perodine nodded to the cart of food by the table. “Food has been prepared for you.”

  “Not hungry , ” I said under my breath.

  “When was the last time you ate?” she asked in a concerned motherly tone.

  I knew it ha d been long before this trial. Since before I was trapped in that dream , but I didn’t want to point that out. “When was the last time they ate?” I asked , glancing at Landen and Drake , knowing it had been just as long for them.

  She didn’t bother to argue with me. She just let out a deep breath and gazed at me.

  “What else have you figured out? Did Olivia find out anything?”

  “Whatever she knows , she plans to tell you and only you. I’m still unraveling the complexity of this trial.”

  “Did you not see that it was going to be in another realm ? That it would take both of them?”

  “I couldn’t have seen another realm because a realm is shared consciousness. A thought – a community of energy. I saw the three of you there , just as I do with each trial. I saw others , too. The twin males.”

  “Anyone else?” I mumbled at the mention of the word ‘twin .’

  She reached for my hand. “Yes.”

  I looked up hopefully. “Several. I see a Libra . A Taurus helping you.”

  “Who ’s a Libra?” I asked , knowing Clarissa was a Taurus.

  “You ’re not curious about the Taurus twins ?”

  “What?”

  “All of the signs I see coming into your life are from a new source.”

  “More people. Great , ” I said absentmindedly . “I have enough peopl e telling me they feel called, and they fall back on whatever Pe lh a n and Aora told them. That the y would lead us through the tria ls.” I sighed. “You know August knew that last trial would involve Clarissa because it was Earth , and that ’s Taurus.”

  “I don’t agree with that , ” s he said respectfully.

  “With Pelhan or August?”

  “With how Pelhan’s words were understood. I’m sure when he spoke those words , he had the intent of ass uring them that they did h ave a role in your twisted fate, but at the same time , you must understand that Pelhan never speaks a word that he has not carefully thought out, and every word he speaks has more than one meaning.”

  “Have you met him?” I asked , knowing without a doubt that she ’d pegged his personality with perfection.

  “Only in my dreams . I n medi t ation.”

  “So what was the double meaning?” I asked grudgingly .

  “I believe they all have a purpose entangled with yours , but I do not think their purpose can be linked with something as simple as a sun sign. Your last tr ia l proved that.”

  “But i t involved Clarissa.”

  “To a degree . She had a broken heart, although it more so in volved Olivi a –Chrispin – Landen and Drake, and most defin i t e ly Dane .”

  “True.”

  She reached for a stack of papers to her left. “I started to map out each of their charts…to see if I could read the web of fates. I’m not surprised to see Brady sleeping soundly over there.”

  I glanced to where he was. As the dimming light of the fire danced off his complexion , I felt my breath leave me. For a moment , my eyes fooled my heart. They saw Landen. Then his words in my dream echoed in my thoughts : ‘Find them , Willow ...they can see everything .’ How could I find them if I couldn ’t leave this world ? I felt hopeless.

  I reached for my chest , remembering that flower , wondering if it was real…wondering if I could whether the pain of the string without it. “Why is that?” I mumbled.

  “His sun is Aquarius . He can perceive every part of the one weapon you have found against this woman : m usic . His Mars is in Scorpio.”

  I moved my head from side to side , thinking of all the times he ’d teased me about having such a fierce sun sign. “Does he know that?” I asked in a sly tone.

  “He does. He asked me days ago if the trial of Mars would involve him because of that placement in his chart.”

  “Why would he think that?”

  “Mars rules Scorpio . He said he felt it coming. He wanted to be ready for it – he spent days with Alamos , trying to understand the power you had . He knew he would have to overcome you , or at least match your will if he was going to help you through this . He never quite grasped Alamos’ short lessons –but…all Pelhan had t o do w
as say one thing to him, and he finally got it. Just in time , too. I doubt this city could have survived that storm much longer.”

  “What did he say to him?” I asked , craving some kind of hidden message.

  Perodine’s eyes moved to Brady’s sleeping body. “He never told me , ” s he said in a slightly curious tone.

  “Can I hope that he told him to go home and take care of his daughter?”

  She laughed humbly under her breath as her eyes caught mine. “Child , that is what he is doing – by taking care of you , he is protecting her.”

  “Chain reaction,” I mumbled as my dream echoed in my thoughts and I felt a warm hum in my chest where I imagined the flower to be. I felt this urge to run, but not away ; toward what I n eeded to do to solve this trial. I kept seeing Preston running through th at string – his carefree laugh. The gray haze . ‘This way , Willow.’

  “Where are you?” Perodine asked , leaning closer to me.

  “I was thinking of Landen…he told me he didn’t come back because if Drake died , we died. Chain reaction.”

  She furrowed her brow as her eyes cascaded over my solemn expression. She knew he ’d said more , but she didn’t want to push me.

  “I dreamed of him. Saw where they were.”

  “Well…Landen has always been a wise soul. His words are very true.” She raised her eyebrows. “You should listen to him.”

  Silence took over for a mom ent as we stared at each other. I almost felt like she was telling me to run. To fight no matter what. I felt lightheaded and dizzy. I couldn’t hold one thought long enough to figure out what to do . I had a plan before , cho o se Landen – always cho o se Landen ; there would be no trial because there would never be a choice. We were going to work together and bring color to this dimension, but now – I had no plan.

  “How did we get here?” I asked , looking up at her. “What happened to ‘Willow’s heart needs to ch o ose ’?”

  She looked down at her hands. “I have come to the conclusion that prophecy was one that Alamos and I both played into. Donalt had us so focused on you loving the man we thought was best for you that we never saw the entire path before you. We weren’t ready for this. I f I had to guess , I would think that the darkness plotted for the thr ee of you to destroy yourself, and the reason he plotted to do just that is because it will take the three of you to end this.”