Vindicate (23 page)

I felt Marc and Beth’s intent to find me . T
he emotion of hope in Beth made me sad, and the room grew darker to reflect that. I didn’t want Beth to m eet Madison yet.
I didn’t want Madison to say or do anything that would bring that woman any more heartache. I didn’t have time to convince Madison to accept Drake as her soul mate. I already knew one look into his eyes would end that argument of hers.

I wanted to know who this Britain guy was. W
hy Madison was so intent on ignoring the fact that she had dreamed of Drake.
What kind of guy could override that kind of insight?

“All I want to know is who he is,” I said steadily as I held her in place.

She glared.
“A friend.”

“What kind of friend?”
I pushed.

“Someone who needs me more than Drake right now.”
She snapped back.

“Why is that?”
I seethed. Knowing that this Britain boy would have to be on his deathbed too for that to be true. I had my doubts he was.

“None of your business,” she said as she held my cold stare.

“So. Y
ou’re willing to be with someone who wanted Charlie, but not with s omeone who wanted to be with me. W
hy is that?” I asked, tilt ing my head, mirroring the profound curiosity her anger was failing to hide.

“I’m not with him.
I’m not with anyone.”

That was lie. I didn’t need an insight to know that.
“I can see it in your eyes.”

“See what?!” she asked gruffly .

“
Compassion for him.”

“That’s not a sin.”
She said as she narrowed her eyes.

“No, but it’s causing you to dismiss all the signs that say I’m right . Y
ou are the one I have been looking for.”

A smirk echoed on the corners of her lips.
“If you were really looking for me you would have found me. W
hat did you say ? T
here is a reason f or everything?” I could hear the taunt in her words and it took all I had to remain calm . “You didn’t find me because you were not looking. H
e didn’t find me because he was not looking. Someone else found me. L
ong before this life.”

“You remember past lives?”

“Maybe.”
She glanced away. That told me she didn’t. That Britain had told her he was in her past. For all I knew that was lie. One that she was desperately trying to hide behind.

I leaned forward. “
Well, if you do.
Then your remember Drake. Right?
”

No answer.

“It doesn’t matter what your remember. What you dream. All that matters is how you feel. Help you r Britain boy if you want. If you don’t help Drake that’s your Karma to deal with. Not mine.

“I’m here aren’t I?
I left my family. I left Britain. I’m here. I have no fear of my Karma.
”

There was an ache in her voice that pulled at my soul.
Triangles suck.

Bet h and Marc were getting closer.
I had to find a way to reach a truce with her. F
ind a way to make her not run from me the moment I released her.

“Look. Fine. I’ll stop.
I won’t say another word about Drake. A ll I’m asking is tha t when you see him in reality that you do not close that door before he has the chance to walk through it. I’ll he lp you with whatever you need.
I’ll help Monroe and her brothers. I’ll help Charlie and Draven. Even this Britain guy, if I can.
I will as k ‘why’ every second of my life.”
I hesitated, “But only if you do two things for me . D
on ’
t close yourself off from me -
help me get to The Realm. H
elp m e bring back our sovereigns.” I cringed knowing Landen would hate that I referenced him that way. “T
his universe needs to find peace .
I can’t even begin to explain to you how dark not only this world, but also Chara will become if either of them were lost . They are the warriors. T
hey are the fearless warriors that will not rest be fore peace is created. T
hey have already chosen the path you are on . T
he path of deep understanding . T
he pa th of change . I have chosen the same path.
”

Silence suffocated the stone room.

Finally I said. “Truce? Do you agree?”

“Agreed,” she said in the most humble tone I’d ever heard .

The gray sky grew a little lighter as I released her.

“Marc and his mother are walking toward us right now. D
on’t hurt that woman. S
he has lost too much.”
I warned.

“I feel her,” Madison said quietly as her eyes reflected the remorse she felt.

“I keep forgetting you can do that,” I mumbled as I stood.

She followed my lead as she stared defensively at me.
“Those images you used to help. H
ow did you make them appear?”

“I didn’t; they just did.
Landen and I think it was because I found people who were feeling the emotion I was.”

“Power of attraction,” she m uttered. “Never anyone you knew?
”

“A few.
My friends when they were hurt.
Stella’s sister; Stella is Marc’s soul mate.”

“You need to open that door if you are going to see.”

“Easier said than done,” I mumbled .

“Seeing is a different dimension of mediation. Instead of letting the t houghts of your mind bubble up you lis ten to the thoughts of others.
Y
our imagination creates the rest . I f you have any doubt you can do this – any at all , then you will not be able to. I t’s as simple as that.”

A ghostly smile danced across my expression. Determination swelled in my soul.
“I have no doubt that I will go to where Landen is.”

“Good.”
She murmured as her eyes rapidly moved across my aura.

At that moment, Marc walked in the door. He had changed into another suit, and at first glance my eyes grew wide and I found myself holding my breath.

“I keep getting that reaction,” he said as his dark eyes moved from me to Madison.

“I can’t believe how one suit can change a man,” I said with a smirk.

“Mom and I are going to the chapel for our daily mourning,” he said as he sighed. “She wanted to check on you first.” He locked his jaw before he went on. “Is that wise?”
he asked raising one eyebrow.

I glanced at Madison. “Madison can feel emotions as well as I can. A t least I think she can. She won’t upset anyone. N
ot on purpose.”

Marc captured her gaze and smiled slightly. “Sorry if I startled you before.”

Madison’s emerald green eyes glassed over as a chill waved across her body. I could only imagine the emotions she was trying to control.
“Just a lot .” She uttered. “B
ad day,” she couldn’t hold his gaze any longer. She let her eyes move to the doorway, looking for a fast escape. No doubt there.

He nodded. “Tell me about it.”

Marc looked back at me. “Stella saw your struggle with this seei ng thing in the looking glass. S
he look ed forward and found the answer.
Perodine is getti ng what she needs to help you. T
hat should save you some time.”

“How far did she see forward?” I asked, peaking with hope.

“She has not found our victory yet, but thanks to her and your new friend Draven I’m still alive.”

“Why is that?”

“Draven was right. That meeting was a trap.
T
he moment Draven said that, Stella saw my cours e change in the looking glass. S
he saw me di scovering three more traitors. W
hen I declared that priest as a traitor, two more confessed to conspiring and begged for mercy.” Concern consumed his dark eyes.
“T
hey’re everywhere, Willow. T
here is not one honest person in that court.”

“There is one,” M
adison said under her breath .

When she realized she said that allowed she nervously looked between me and Marc then said, “
Drake. I mean y ou.”
her skin blushed as she eyed the doorway once more.

Marc’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he bowed slightly to her. “So many wise women surrounding me now. I like that,” he said as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Stella saw your fate change?” I asked Marc , wanting to unders tand what Stella was becoming. W
hat that looking glass had to do with any of this.

Marc nodded as he looked back at me. “She told me she is in awe of how the simplest decisio n or thought can change so much. T
he excitement – awakening in her eyes is breathtaking.”

Beth stepped into the room at that moment. She was wearing one of the royal black gowns that would place her in another era if I were in my home dimension. Beth ignored both Marc and me and seized Madison ’s stare .

I focused on Beth’s emotion, looking for any spike. A ny sign of rec ognition. Beth always believed she would see the heart of her son in the woman he was meant to love. She’
d seen it inside o f Stella, and inside of Olivia. Yet, right now her emotion remained calm.
I was sure that long, deep argument I just had wit h Madison was all for nothing.
Bet h didn’t see it.

“Madison, this is my mother, Beth.” Marc said.

Madison bowed as if she were introduced to royalty. “It is a pleasure to meet you,” she said humbly.

“The pleasure is mine,” Beth replied.

There was an odd silence, and the anxiety in the room built.

“Excuse me,” Madison said quietly. “I need to find my friends.”

Beth reached for Madison’s arm as she passed her by. They locked eyes, and I felt a modest emotion, followed by hope, rise inside of Beth.

Madison looked down. “He is coming ho me. I ’ll bring him home.”

Beth smiled, and Madison swiftly walked away.

Once I knew she was far enough to hear us, I looked at Beth. “Well?”

She stared back at me for countless seconds. “Yes and no.”

“And that means?” I asked.

She stepped closer to me and reached her hand for my shou lder. “Willow .
Let it be . You will find them.
”

“I know that. She’
s the one, though.
” I whispered.

“
Learn from her. L
et h er learn from you .”

“You sound like Preston,” I muttered , looking down.

“I will never b e as wise as my son…” She glanced up at Marc. “All of my sons have a purpose beyond my imagination…” She looked b ack at me. “
J
ust bring him back.”

“I will,” I promised as my eyes met hers.

Marc held his arm out for his mother, and I watched as he escorted her to the stairway. I hesitated before I walked back to the others. I let the conversation with Madison rush through my mind. N
ot the argument about Drake, but everything else. I wondered for a moment why my images had not come as often as they once had.
I wondered if I rea lly was just running in circles. I f someho w I was missing the big picture.
I wondered if there was someo ne else out there waiting on me. N
eeding me . I f I needed them. Did I bring all of this on myself?

I walked through the study, knowing the hallway on the other side of it was the fastest way to get back to where I’d left Landen and Drake’s bodies. When I stepped in the room, I saw Olivia pacing back and forth with an open book. At first glance, that didn’t seem odd to me . Gr owing up, her head was always in a book. L
ost in another world. Honestly, I can’t recall seeing her read a single thing since we had been here. I felt her excitement and curiosity, and it made me smile.

“Now that is the Olivia I grew up with,” I said as I walked to her side. She jumped at the sound of my voice. “Though I did assume you would be trying t o figure out this seeing thing so you could follow me into The Realm. M
ust be a good book.”

“I am following you.
Perodine is going to help us,” Olivia said as she marked the page she was on.

“How is that?” I asked curiously.

“With one of her little spells . S
omething about energy colliding so you could see where you are going. T
hat there was no way for Draven to teach you how to see.”

“Well, that’s a bit negative.
I’m a fast learner . E
specially if it gets me to where I need to go.”
I knew none of them were meaning to hurt my feelings, but this had to be one of the longest, hardest days of my life. I felt like no one understood me, or trusted me. Well, no one but Draven.