Vindicate (38 page)

“
She doesn’t dislike you.
”

“
No, but …M
otherhood is something I will always respect but never under stand. A man telling her to tell a lie would be an insult to injury – a woman…
a beautiful woman like you will have better odds.
”

I smiled and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him , feeling that fire in his touch again. Wide-eyed I caught his stare, but he didn’t seem to notice that anything was off about him . Ashten took off the black cloak he was wearing and put it around me. Landen pulled up the hood.

“Come on, I’ll take you the secret way,” Marc said, holding out his arm.

I took it and looked back at Landen. “Will you get everyone ready? I’m ready to go home.”

He smiled, revealing the dimples I loved so much, and nodded once.

Marc led me into a room that was two doors down, and in that room he moved a bookcase, opening a passageway for us.

“W
hy are there so many passages?
W
hat’s wrong with normal hallways?” I asked sarcastically as I stepped down the stone staircase before us.

Marc chuckled. “It wouldn’t be Est erious without the mysterious.”

I elbowed him as we walked down the steps. “Hey, are you alright? I mean, with mocking Drake , with Stella’s ne w role as the all-seeing oracle?
”

He laughed under his breath. “Willow, I knew, I always knew in my life we would be here. Something told me that the girl I would love would have a strong role here…
now I didn’t know the details -- t he whole long lost brother thing, but regardless, we’re here and when we don’t want to be, we’ll leave. I t’s as simple as that.”

“Has she left that looking glass?” I asked.

“A few hours h ere and there. I just left her, t hough . S
he said all is calm through the night.
I’m sure she’ll go home for a few hours.”

“Just don’t let her spend the rest of her life staring into that pool.
I don’t care i f you take her to Chara or not, b ut make sure she sees the sun. Swear .”

“Swear ,” he said as we reached a door. He slid it back quietly. “I’ll wait right here.
I d on’t think she knows its over.
I haven’t told her, at least.”

Behind the door was a red drape. I pulled the hood on the cloak I was wearing down a little further and glided from behind the drape.

This was a gorgeous chapel. The ceiling was over a hundred feet high, and the paintings, the stories of angels at war, were breathtaking. The only light was from the altar where thousands of candles were lit. Beth was sitting in the pew all alone in this majestic place.

I walked slowly to her side, taking in her emotion of grief.
I didn’t want to add to that.
I decided I would just ask her where she stood with what Drake needed.

I sat down beside her and reached for her hand.

“What…
why …
why have they sent you to speak to me? What happened?” she asked in a trembling voice.

“He’s home,” I whispered.

Her elation was immediate. She squeezed my hand tightly but kept her stare with the altar. “I thought I felt him,” she whispered.

“Guess what?” I said slyly.

She looked to her side at me as concern came to her.

“He’s coming to dinner. H
e’s going to Chara.”

“Are you serious?”

I nodded. “I told him he owed me,” I said, winking at her.

She moved her head from side to side. “You are the only one he listens to.”

“Am I? I think he listens to you.
I think he’s aware about how you feel about his life.”

Her eyes connected with mine. “Has my son sent you to plea for his reign. A re you to ask what he cannot find the courage to?”

I grimaced.
“I don’t think he lacks courage.
I think he respects you and his father too much to disgrace that.”

“But you do not?”

“I didn’t say that,” I said, squeezing her h and. “If he hasn’t asked you …then how did you know what the question was?”

She looked at me like I was insane. “Do you not think that Alamos has not had my ear since before this began? Do you think I didn’t know this day was going to come?”

“I don’t know what to think , o r what I would do if I were you.
I’m not even sure I want him to be king.
I just know I don’t want to lose him.
I don’t want someone to take Alamos or Perodine’s life b efore they are ready to give it.
I want peace, and that road is long and complicated.”

“Does he want to be king?” she asked me.

“I think so.
I think he loves his people. T
hat he wants to rule a golden age for them.”

“How badly does he want that?”
she asked, tilting her head and gazing at me.

“I’m not sure, Beth. He was exhausted and hungry last I saw him. W
hy do you ask? I s there a price I need to know about? Do you have conditions that need to be met?”

“I do,” she said as she glanced at the altar. “My son is asking me to swear before men who are nothing but pure evil that he is not mine. T
hat the love I had for Livingston. T
he love we had for each other di d not bring him into this world. H
e is asking that his heritage to Chara be erased.
I lov e him enough to give him that.
I love him enough to lie. T
o make a promise that will only matter in this life and not when I face my creator…
but I do have a condition.”

“I’m listening.”
I muttered humbly.

She moved her eyes from the altar to me. “He’s going to have to get his father’s blessing…
if Livingston tel ls me he is at peace with this I will vow that I was no thing more than a host for him -
-
the only breathing heir of Donalt.”

I let my shoulders fall, along with all of my hope.

“I guess he doesn’t want to be king that bad,” Beth said, noticing my expression.

“I’m sure he does, Beth, but to see his dad, he has to come terms w ith the fact that he killed him. He may be strong, but I don’t think he’s that strong. H
e’s been through too much.”

“Like I said before …
you’re the only one he listens to.”

“Right,” I mumbled. “And I am going to take one victory at a time.” I stood and reached for her hand. “Come, all of your sons are g oing to be in Chara at one time. Y
ou don’t want to miss that.”

She bowed her head to me gracefully, then stood at my side. Marc was waiting for us. As Beth passed him, I shook my head no, and he nodded once. It was hard for me to tell w here he stood with all of this. I f he even knew what we were asking Beth to do.

At the passage, Landen was waiting with Draven, Aden, M
adison, and Charlie. Beth captured Madison ’s gaze and bowed, then looked up at Marc. “I want to change before we go home.”

“I’ll bring Stella, Mom, and Drake ,” Marc said calmly.

I found myself staring at Madison every ti me Drake’s name was mentioned.
S
he was getting better at hiding her anxiety, but I could still see it.
I wondered if Drake had approached her since we’d been back , the troubled emotions of Charlie led me to believe that he had. I wonder how well that went.
No. No I didn’t it was none of business.

I handed the cloak I was wearing to Marc just before they walked away.

Landen glanced at the others. “Can I assume that you can see in the string? I believe Austin mentioned that to me.”

“Seeing is a blessing and a curse for us,” Aden answered for all of them.

“Tell me about it,” Landen said, reaching for my hand. We stood in the glow and waited for them all to en ter. “Just stay in the center. S
torms are hard to predict.”

I was going to let Landen lead and stay in the back with Madison. He felt my intent to do that and started a conversation with Draven about music. Before I could open a conversation, something distracted me.
Dane and Clarissa.
I could feel them. A t least I thought I did, and they were not alone.

I stopped in place, as my ey es grew wide. I was so confused. I t was them, no doubt, but at the same time there was something missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I thought maybe it was just the othe r person I could feel with them. A person that should not be with them .
Winston. What was tha t boy doing with them ? W
hy did I feel their anger? T
heir determination to place Winston in our custody ? W
hy I did feel Winston’s disdain for that act?

“Are you alright?” Madison asked me.

“No,” I said, looking behind me. “Landen.”

He already sensed the emotions, too, and was walking to my side. The others looked at us like we were in sane, and their anxiety built. T
hey must have noticed how confused we were. A moment later, three images appeared. Winston was in the center of Cl arissa and Dane. T
hey were both holding his arm like he was some kind of prisoner.

“What the hell?” Draven said as he pulled his shoulders back.

“Thinking the same thing,” I mumbled.

“What do we have here?” Landen asked Dane.

“You look better,” Dane said, smiling slightly.

“Just y our everyday brush with death. N
o big deal,” Landen said in a dense tone.

I noticed immediately that Dane and Clari ssa broke eye contact with us.
I felt how nervous they were and how they were trying to hide that.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“We found your little friend. L
ooks like he lost his way,” Dane said, looking at Landen, not me.

“Whatever, man,” Winston said, rolling his eyes, pulling free from them, and walking to Aden. When he got there, he received a slap on the back of the head from Aden.

“Quit being a tool,”
Aden said through his teeth. “Where were you ? W
here is everyone else?”

“Ask them,” Winston said, crossing his arms, refusing to answer.

“He was looking for his daddy,” Dane said with heavy disgust.

“Were you?” I said sarcastically, raising my eyebrows.

“You guys weren’t in Esterious.
I didn’t feel you there,” Landen said in a mystified tone.

“Bingo. T
his man gets a prize,” Winston said, only to get another slap on the back of the head, from Draven this time.

“Where were you?” I asked. “I haven’t seen you in days.”

“Infante,” Clarissa answered, “looking into this Escort thing.”

“That’s not where you found me,” Winston said as he dodged another smack from Aden. “Where were we, chaps? Tell them, why don’t you?”

“A guy named Silas brought him to us. T
old us that you knew him, that he needed to be with you.”
Dane supplied.

I felt Charlie’s heart sink when Silas’ name was said. I looked from her to Clarissa. “He just walked up to you and said, ‘Here, take this kid’?”

“Something like that,” Clarissa said, not able to hold eye contact with me.

“Listen,” Da ne said. “We have to get back. J
ust keep him under control.”

“Where are you going?” Lande n asked. “Mom’s cooking dinner. Everyone is going to be there. W
e need to relax, think things through.”

“They don’t know how to rest in peace,” Winston said as a wicked grin came across his face.

“What is going on?” I asked, looking from Winston to Dane and Clarissa.

“Nothing,” Dane promised. “We’re not trying to be rude – not at all. We’ve met a few p eople who understand The Realm, and we need time to work through it . We’re fine.
I promise.”

“We will work through it with you,” I swore .

“I know you will, but if I don’t understand it enough to exp lain what I know simply to you then I need more time,” Dane said, looking down at me, pleading for space with his eyes and emotion.

“Alright. S
pace . I t’s yours,” I mumbled, still not understanding.

“Where are you staying so I can find you?” Landen asked.

“New Orleans. O
ne of Austin’s old houses,” Dane answered.

“Is that where you have been?” I asked .

“Spent a lot of time in the French Quarter,” Clarissa said as she tried to smile .

Dane reached his arm around Clarissa. “We’re going to get back.”

As they turned to leave, Clarissa hesitated, then looked over her shoulder.
“Landen, tel l M
om I love her. Tell D
ad, too …
I love all of you.”

Landen’s eyes grew wide as he saw her tears. When he stepped forward, she held her hand out to stop him. “I’m fine.
I swear . I’m fine.
I just don’t tell you that I love you enough, and I want you to know that I have always felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I have the best family in the world. T
he best brothers.”