Vindicate (26 page)

I took in deep breaths and called Landen to my memory. I blocked out the sound . T
he emotions full of fear and intensity, and found silence. In my thoughts, I stared into his blues eyes, ones that were always calm, even in the heat of adversity, the ones that embraced the insights given to him with awe and respect.

In my thoughts, I watched him heal.
I replayed the lesson Pelhan had given him . The Roses. T
he thorns. The exp lanation that in order to heal you must want to giv e all that you are to another. Y
ou must have no regard for your own well being . Y
our intent – your energy must be pure. I watched the blood drip from the thorns in my memory. I watched him heal Drake, the wound on his neck , and the one in his side.
I watched him heal me. I watched him save my life.

I felt a hum in my soul. I heard hi m say my name.
I heard him tell me that I could do this. T
hat he believed in me. His voice – his eyes t ook me away from that moment. T
hey took me deep inside of myself. I barely noticed my father reach for my hands. Even when I felt Madison’s warm blood beneath my skin, I didn’t move from that thought. That peace, that for giveness that Landen always had.

Then all at once, the blue eyes I was staring into grew serious and the lips I ached to kiss said, “Heal.” A force of energy jolted my eyes open. My father’s hands were on mine, holding the wound that was becoming s maller with each second.

I set my intent to heal her, to take it all away. In that moment, my hands began to glow . T
he ring on my finger began to spin, her skin began to glow, and I could see my energy, who I was, seep into her skin, into her soul.
The wound vanished. I had healed and had no idea how I did it.

I raised my hands and stared at them as fast, deep breaths escaped me. I had never once been this taken by an insight. T
he insight to emotion was just as painful as it was blissful . Truth and intent were the same. M
oving your energy was some thing done in defense. H
aving Mother N
ature reflect your emotions in the atmosphere was more dangerous than b eneficial. B
ut healing…healing was on another level. I t was a level that could bring no harm. A level that was mind numbing.
Every single part of me – ever y cell in my body was on fire. I felt immortal.
I felt as if there was nothing I could not do.

Landen had made it seem so simple, effortless, something that gave no reward, only drained energy, but I wasn’t drained; I had more energy now than any memory of La nden could give me. I felt him.
I felt him inside of me.

The tension in the hall washed away, and serenity took over, complementing the silence. No one kne w what to say. Madison rose slowly, holding the place on her stomach that had been healed. She looked up at me – she didn’t have to say th ank you. I saw it in her eyes.
I swear I could feel the gratitude from her. She reached her arms around me and swayed back and forth, taking in the moment; we were bonded. We were not two girls trying to understand the other. I t didn’t matter that the opinions and views we had may differ . T
hat what I wanted and what she wanted were not the same. I knew in the moment I healed her that she understood me. She felt the power of what any one soul could become.

“I felt everything,” she whispered. I pulled away slightly and looked into her emerald green eyes that were fightin g back tears. “I felt your soul.
I felt your h eart. Y
our passion.”

“And yet you still seem happy,” I said, trying to hold on to the fearless person I needed to be. T
hat I had to be.

“I see Drake ,” she said in a voice I could only hear. “I see him the way you do.”

I moved my head from side to side as shock came over me. I never understood this energy thing. T
his emotion thing. I knew in theory that my energy was now combined with Landen and Drake’s, that we were bonded. I didn’t care that a little piec e of that was given to Madison. T
hat it healed he r.
I did care that she saw either of them the way I did because the way I felt a bout both of them was private.
The emotions between the three of us were ours to bear and no one else’s.

“Forget that. S
ee him through your eyes.”

“I can’t.”

Those two words, that selfless look in her eyes, told me that she was holding on to my energy so she could save them. That before this moment she’d felt guilty for being here, for leaving others, Britain, behind. But now, after seeing life through my eyes she felt vindicated. She knew she could fight to save them without regret because she was in my debt.

Before I could argue with her, Charlie had broken free from Draven’s arms and was squeezing Madison for dear life.

Brady held his hand out to help me up. As I stood, he pulled me to his chest and held me as tightly as he could. My father had crawled across the floor and was giving aid to the men I’d hurt. Others had brought stretchers and were moving them onto them. Just as they were moved away, Perodine and Alamos came running down the hall.

Aden and Draven were whispering to each other as they stared at me.

“Something you want to share with the class?” I asked as I pulled away from Brady.

Draven smiled sardonical ly as his eyes grew sad. “Your energy . I t’s so bright. A beautiful power.”

“Trust me, it was a first .
I don’t even think that was my energy,” I mumbled as I watched others carry away the men on the stretchers.

“Not the healing,” Draven said to get my attention, “the memories. Y
ou used them as power. Y
ou pulled from them . T
he energy inside of you is endless.”

“I guess I did,” I said, furrowing my eyebrows at him and Aden, trying to understand how that was important, why he had mentioned how bright my energy was. It was like that was all he could see.

I glanced down at Charlie then back to Draven wondering if there was more to the Escort light thing that I did not understand . I knew Charlie was nervous about Draven being her e , but I thought it was because of the darkness.
Could it be the light?

“That’s what we do,” Aden explained before I could ponder that point further. “Well, kind of. W
e walk t hrough memories to help others, but it was different for you because you sense emotions, you pulled from that energy. W
e only pull from words.”

“I don’t know what I did,” I said, trying not blush , or look as uncertain as I was.

My father walked over to me.
As soon as his eyes met mine, they turned from hazel to green. “I’m proud of you, little one.” I went to speak, but he raised his finger. “But not nearly as proud as Landen will be of you.”

A smile came across my f ace as I imagined that moment.
I heard Perodine tell everyone to step away from the walls and looked to her to see what she was doing.

She and Alamos were side by side, walk ing down the hall away from us. S
peaking words I could not make out clearly. They joined hands, then stretched their other hand out toward the walls of the hallway. At that moment, a light blue wave of e nergy rippled along the walls , over every painting, reaching into every room. T
hey were sealin g off this floor. P
lacing us under some kind of field of protection.

“And that’s why they call her the Great Witch,” Madison mumbled.

I smiled at the absurdity. “It’s not magic . It’s a focused thought. H
er willpower is creating that. S
he has lived a lon g life. L
ot of willpower,” I explained.

“Where I come from, they call that a Witch,” Madison said, raising one eyebrow. “I’m going to change, then I’ll be ready . A re you?”

I nodded once as I watched her and Charlie turn to walk down the hallway.

“Did you figure out how to see?” I asked Brady.

He tried to hold in a smile as he looked at Aden.

“What?” I asked them.

“He figured out he loved to play . T
hat he hasn’t played nearly enough recently,” Aden said.

“You play the guitar?” I asked, looking up at Brady.

He blushed slightly. “Among other things.”

“You need to play more often, man . I t helps, believe me,” Aden said to Brady.

I hesitated, then let my guilty eyes fall to the floor. It always escaped m e what my family went through. T
he emotions they must feel when they face the darkness that haunts me. “Good advice, Brady,” I mumbled as I walked into the room Landen was in.

Immediately, my eyes moved to where Landen was laying. At th at moment, he looked peaceful.
I swear I could almost see a smile on his face. I looked down at my hands and saw Madison’s blood all over me. I wanted to clean up before I touched him. There was a doorway to the left of the bed.
I made my way there, feeling numb from everything that had happened to me.

Once the steaming water had washed away the stains on my hands and arms, I splashed water over my face, then stared into my reflection. It bothered me that ev eryone thought I was changing. T
hat I was not as innocent as I was . I felt the same deep inside, but I also felt more m ature. M
ore aware.
I wasn’t stuck on one thought.
I was angry, and in my opinion, I needed to be if I was going to win this. F
ight fire with fire, is that not what they say? But if it’s been said before, then it cannot be the way to change. I needed to find my own way of thinking about this.
I needed to find a way to feel mercy for those who tried to hurt me. I needed to learn to think before I acted.

I opened the door to the bathroom to find myself all alone with Landen and Drake. T
he others were lingering in the hallway. I walked to Landen’s side and gently leaned down and let my lips rest on his.
“
I healed but you know that. Y
ou were there. A nd now I’m coming for you, ”
I thought.

I felt his lips move beneath mine and pulled away slightly. I heard him whisper, “Danger.”

“I know .
I know, baby, but I have help. Y
ou’re both coming home to a new world.
”

His body took in a deep breath.
I waited for a protest for some sign that I s hould just let him fight this. W
ait for him to wake. When one did not come, I kissed his lips once more, then walked around the b ed to Drake’s side. He was hot. H
is body was on fire, and sweat glistened of his perfect profile. The moment I let my hand rest on his face, he took in a deep, lasting breath.

“I have a surprise for you,” I whispered. “I’m bringing her to you.”

I smiled as I imagined the first time he would lay eyes on Madison. I was hungry to witness the look, the energy I would see between them. I had no doubt it would be beyond anything I’d ever witnessed.

Alamos came in the room at that moment, holding a silver basin. His eyes asked me to step away from the bed. I moved back toward the couches that had guitars lying across them. As I watched, Alamos circle d the floor around the bed with white powder that looked like salt. Draven, Aden, and Brady came in and lingered by my side.

“Willow,” Draven whispered.

I looked up at him, breaking my stare with whatever ritual Alamos was attempting to perform.

“We need to talk about what is going to happen,” Draven said quietly.

“Listening,” I said as my eyes met his.

He smiled somewhat . “I will be at your side the entire time. I promise you that, but what you have to understand is that what I see – what Brady or Olivia sees – may not be what you see. You are going to have to trust all of us, listen to us.”

“Why would it be different?”

“Because thi s place is like a dream world. Y
our mind helps create it. We have all see n different things in our life from different perc eptions. What you see as good we may know to be bad. The surroundings may not be the same for all of us. We will see the same thing, but perceive it differently. That’s where you are going to h ave to trust me.
Do you trust me?”

“I do. And I have more control than all of you think I do. I’m not afraid of the illusions you say I will see. I feel them. I don’t see them. Does that make sense?
”

Draven nodded once. “I know you are in complete control.
” It felt so good to hear that.
“
I will warn you, though; those illusions have Landen and Drake’s energy within them. That is my friendly heads up – K.”

I nodded, and swallowed my emotions.
They all thought I was going to lose it in there, but I was going to prove them wrong. I was going to be calm, cool, and in control.
Deadly if need be.

Two young men carried in a long narrow table and set it at the foot of the bed. Two young girls carried in candles, red, black, and white , and placed them on the table. T
he black one was centered. F
or some r eason, it looked familiar to me. A ll of this seemed familiar to me. It was the strangest feeling.