by Jamie Magee
I gritted my teeth as anger came to me. Really? That was Aden’s response? He wanted to throw in the fact that I had seen Silas today? Seriously? We weren’t over that? I looked at Brady once more and began to ask questions that would tell me what had happened before they appeared. I saw Brady fight with himself. He feared that Willow would leave his brother. That it would kill Landen. That it would kill Brady’s daughter. He hated himself for thinking that.
I let myself forgive Aden for that remark. It was clear that Brady’s path had reminded him of his. It was also clear that both Aden and Brady were foolish for thinking anything like that; both Willow and I were prepared to die for the ones we loved.
Brady looked over his shoulder to the two men with him. “Go tell them I have her. Make sure Marc stays there.”
Draven caught my stare; he was trying to see if I knew what he did. Then I saw it, I saw him show me Marc, and my heart pounded. Marc could easily be that prince that I thought was Drake. How could there be two of them? What was going on? I nodded once at Draven, and he returned his attention to Willow and Brady, still trying to gather as much information as he could about them.
The two men left, and Brady looked down at Willow, placing his hands gently on her face. “What did he say?” he asked Willow in a forced calm tone.
“He told me to find them, that they see everything - and they do; they said they do.”
Brady looked right at me with questioning eyes, and I nodded slightly to tell him that was true. Then Brady’s eyes fell to Monroe, and protectively I moved in front of her. I didn’t want them to scare her, and even though I doubted they could, I couldn't stop that reflex. A burning desire to protect her innocence was exploding inside of me. It was almost as strong as what Brady felt for his daughter, for that Preston boy.
Olivia noticed my reaction. Her eyes grew curious, then she glanced at Aden and Draven. “You see where they are? Can you take us there?”
I looked to Draven for answers. I didn’t know how to tell them how deep Landen and Drake were, that more than likely the men they knew were gone and that even if we brought them back, they would fight what I was fighting with Draven, that The Realm would call them over and over. They were looking for an ending, but they were standing at the threshold of a whole new world.
Draven felt our stares, and the weight of this fell on his shoulders. He looked down, then glanced up at Willow, ignoring Olivia and Brady. “This isn’t a place. There isn’t a passage. You’re going to have to see your way there.”
Just when I thought the tension in the room could not possibly build any more, Madison climbed the stairs to the studio. She hesitated as she took in the room. I focused on her and saw her remember the sketch she made. I saw fear in my best friend’s eyes, and I was paralyzed by it. I couldn't figure out how to block Monroe and run to her at the same time.
Monroe’s leg brushed up against mine, and with her touch I heard her say, “Too much,” in my thoughts. I looked down at Monroe to find her staring at me. What was she saying? Madison could see this. She could see Willow. Then all of a sudden it made sense: Monroe was saying that she could see them, but she couldn't see Drake or that Marc guy, whoever he was.
“What if I can’t?” Willow asked Draven.
Draven didn’t answer her. He was staring at Madison, waiting for the levy in her heart to break, for all of this to get worse.
Madison looked between Draven and Aden, then her eyes locked with mine. “We’ll go. We’ll kill Bianca.”
I swallowed as I fought back angry tears. I nodded once to Madison, agreeing to do just that, to end the existence of the demon that had brought so much strife into our lives. I almost thought this was planned, that Bianca wanted this moment to happen; she would know we were getting too close, that this would make Madison weak, but she was a fool because all Bianca did was infuriate Madison, and that’s one thing you do not do to a Scorpio.
They all turned defensively to the doorway, noticing Madison for the first time. Wide-eyed, I stepped forward, but then I halted, not wanting to break the shield I had in front of Monroe.
“Why can’t I feel you?” Willow asked.
This was getting too eerie, even for me. They looked so much alike, they had the same sixth sense. What else did they have in common? Were they the same person? That couldn't be; that wouldn’t make any sense.
Madison unconsciously ran her hand across her wrist, across the tattoo she had all but forced me to get as well: an Ankh. Her dream, it was coming. These were the girls. Madison wanted the tattoo because she said that a girl that looked liked her would kill us if we didn’t have it, that she needed to know we were real and this was the only way, but that didn’t make any sense to me right now. All I knew was I wasn’t looking forward to living through any nightmare Madison had.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Madison answered calmly. “I can’t see you either.” Madison locked eyes with me. I knew she was looking for answers, and I didn’t hold anything back. There was no point to that anymore; she had to face this. Madison looked from me to Aden, then Draven. “Why are you not showing me?” she asked in a nervous voice.
I didn’t know how to explain it, not in front of these people. “Too much,” I muttered, repeating Monroe’s words, begging Madison not to hate me with my eyes.
Olivia walked over to Madison and circled her like she was trying to prove that Madison was real. It didn’t matter what I did or thought; I couldn't move from Monroe’s side. I almost thought they were holding me back. That Willow had some other power I didn’t know about, but Aden and Draven stepped forward. Out of the three of us, they would be the threat to these people, not me. Something else was tethering me to Monroe.
“What’s your name?” Olivia asked softly as she reached for Madison’s wrist.
“What do you mean you can’t feel me?” Willow asked breathlessly as tears of hope glassed over her eyes. “You feel emotions?”
“You could say that,” Madison answered calmly. As she looked over every inch of Willow, her eyes halted on her wrist. Madison wanted to know, just like I did, if there was a tattoo under her sleeve. I was hoping against all hope that there wasn’t one, that the dream was just an exaggeration of this moment.
Willow reached for her sleeve and pulled it up. The Ankh was there, so was the star in the loop; we were all marked, marked for death. Madison swallowed before she said, “Nice tattoo,” with the sarcasm she often used for defense.
Willow and Olivia locked stares, and I saw fear in their eyes. I glanced at Olivia’s wrist: she had the same tattoo. My stomach tied itself in knots. What’s the point of dreaming a doomed fate? Was that a game the devil played just to prolong the torture?
“It’s growing less original by the minute,” Willow said, still staring at Olivia.
“You could say that,” I said with a gasping breath.
They all turned to look at me as I reached to pull up the sleeve on my hoodie. Brady pulled Willow to him like I was some kind of plague, like we were the ones that were dangerous. Was he crazy? Did he not understand that Willow was the dangerous one in that dream?
“This is Felicity’s dream. She saw these girls. Is this your dream too, Olivia?” Brady asked.
“You dreamed of it, too?” I asked Olivia with wide eyes.
“Did you?” she asked me.
“No. Madison did,” I said, looking at Madison for some kind of answer. I wanted to see the dream. I wanted her to show me all of her dreams. I had to find a way to avoid our death, but she was blocking me. I’m sure it was her defense that was causing that, but I needed to see, I needed to see right now.
“How did the dream end?” Willow asked in a weak voice, clearly not wanting to really know.
Madison glanced at Willow with questioning eyes, then sealed her gaze with me. “We share a common enemy. This mark will help us fight her illusions, but it’s going to take more than that to end this.”
“Like what?’ Brady asked.
; Madison looked from me to Draven, and I followed her stare. His eyes were almost green again. I could only hope he had figured out enough about all of them to know if we were safe or not, if they were a trap or a solution. I hoped against all hope that he was ready for this. That he would love himself enough to fight with us in The Realm. His eyes found mine, and I saw both disdain and determination there. He looked at Brady. “This place, this place is the echo of what you are, what you were. It’s created by lost souls. Their energy creates this place. There, anything is possible. It’s addictive, seductive, mind-numbing. It’s the hardest test any soul could be asked to pass.”
“Have you passed it?” Willow asked.
I stared at him and asked if he thought he did, and what I saw in his thoughts was this morning, Bianca forcing my light into him, Silas threatening him.
Draven smiled sardonically. “Not yet,” he said solemnly as he glanced at me. I made sure I showed him what I had said just a few minutes ago, that I told him the light was in him, to pull from himself so he could help me protect Madison and Monroe.
I wasn’t going to let them push him to explain his answer. I was prepared to fight for them, to bring Landen and Drake home, but I wasn’t sure that we should be side by side. I was starting to think that distance would be best. I hadn’t had time to see everything around them, and I had no idea whose demon was worse; all I knew was that I now had a new reason to kill Bianca.
“Listen,” I said, looking between Willow and Brady. “You need to know that death haunts us. Damned souls are called to us. That it is a fate we didn’t ask for but must endure. We thought --” I looked at Draven, wondering if he was going to stop me from telling them that they needed to leave without us, but he made no effort to do so. I looked back at Willow. “We thought coming to your world would bring us peace, but we don’t want to bring our darkness to your doorstep. That’s what we told Austin.”
Before I could go on with my speech, Brady spoke over me. “Austin? You’ve seen him recently?” he asked as a gleam of hope came to him.
“He’s here,” Aden said, glancing at me, then walking to the stairs to get Austin.
I felt Willow’s stare and boldly stared back. She looked like she was getting angrier, weaker. “You’re not bringing anything to my doorstep.” I gazed into her, relieved that she would close this door, not me; at least that way I would have no regrets. “It’s already there,” Willow said quietly. “Help me, and I’ll help you.”
For an instant, I saw that wise woman I met in Egypt. I heard her words echo in my mind. I knew then that I couldn't walk away from this; I was a part of this family of souls, and so was Draven. I wasn’t going to let fear rob me of my fate.
Chapter Ten
Willow and I were both trying to understand each other. I wanted to go back into my memories, find more, understand this. I was mad at myself for not turning around and talking to Silas before; for all I knew, there was a phrase I could say to her, one that would wake her up and let her see how big this really was, help her understand that she was planning this fifteen hundred years ago, more than likely long before that point.
Willow turned to look at Madison, obviously still not believing that she had found her, the twin I saw her search for in her memories. Willow was going to be disappointed. I knew Madison well enough to know that she would more than likely run from Drake, the prince, and if she didn’t run, she would hide behind her sarcasm and philosophy. If there was anyone that could build a wall around their heart, it was Madison. I admit that Britain was climbing it, that he’d almost reached her, but I would have to see Madison fall in love in order to believe it was possible.
“Who’s Bianca?” Willow asked weakly.
Madison glanced at Brady. “The one he saw in that room. The girl who pushed the boy in the shadow of the room to the floor and blew a kiss to the one standing next to you,” Madison said, then looked at me. “Oddly, I can’t see anything else.”
I glanced down at Monroe, completely in awe of her. How did she know that? How could Madison not see any of this?
“How does this ‘seeing’ thing work?” Brady asked. “Can you see everything?”
I felt Draven’s stare and glanced at him. Our heart was breaking for Madison. We loved her too much to watch her go through this. His eyes found Willow’s. “Only what you choose to show us.”
“You said you could see everything,” Willow said as she grabbed Brady’s arm for support. Something was wrong with her beyond grief; she was weak.
Draven walked slowly to her and stared down into her tearful eyes. “When you appeared in this room, you had no defenses up; your thoughts were wide open. As long as I asked the right questions, I saw your past, your perception of it, but now you have your defenses up.” Draven glanced at Brady and Olivia, then back to Willow. “All of you do. Madison saw that moment because Brady was thinking about it. Madison saw his perception.”
“And apparently you saw more,” Madison said to Draven, clearly aggravated with us.
Draven ignored her and continued his stare with Willow. “With all that you know, with all that you can do with your mind, I don’t think that grasping this would be too hard for you, and if it is,” he looked at me, “we’ll go for you.”
When I stared into his eyes, he showed me our last kiss; he let me hear the word ‘promise’ over and over. He was telling me he was ready, that he would fight to overcome what was in him, to help our friends, these strangers in our path now. I wasn’t sure if he was prepared to do that from here or leave with them. “Are we leaving?” I asked as the fields of Chara came to mind.
Draven looked at Willow. “Are we?” he asked, clearly asking if that was her intent.
She didn’t answer him; instead, she turned defensively to the doorway. Austin, Nana, and Grayson were walking up the steps. I was relieved to see Grayson. I knew he’d be able to break this defense I felt for Monroe, that with him here I could move and defend Madison if I needed to. Nana had already changed into her nightclothes. I saw sympathy fill her eyes as she looked at Willow. Austin was reflecting what we felt; it was clear that the last thing he expected to find in this room was Willow and the people with her.
“Austin,” Brady said with relief heavy in his tone.
“Where’s Landen?” Austin asked, looking at me with fear in his eyes. He knew then that we were right: Landen had been in danger this entire time. I moved my head once to the side to tell him not to feel the guilt I could see in his eyes. This wasn’t his fault, not any of ours.
Brady walked to Austin and urged him down the stairs to talk in private. Grayson came to Monroe’s side, and the moment he was there I felt her release me; I knew I could walk away from her now.
Nana held her stare with Willow, but she put her arm around Madison. “You and Charlie go say your goodbyes,” she said, then looked at Draven. “Wake your dad.”
Madison looked at Nana with pleading eyes, wanting to see someone’s point of view, wanting to know that we weren’t walking blindly into a trap. I walked as fast as I could to Madison’s side. Draven, Monroe, and Grayson were right behind me. I glanced over my shoulder as I walked down the stairs to see Nana slowly approaching Willow and Olivia. I felt Draven take my hand as we reached Brady and Austin in the hallway below the studio. Madison took off in a sprint down the hall. I went to chase her, but Draven held me tightly.
“Austin,” Draven said firmly, “I want you to look me in the eye and tell me these people will not hurt us. I want you to tell me that if you were me, with your soul mate at your side, you would walk with them, fight with them.”
Austin didn’t hesitate. “Draven, this is right; it’s right, and you know it. They won’t hurt you.”
I felt my heart pounding violently in my chest.
Brady looked down at me as if he could hear it, sense my fear. “Listen, my brother is in danger. If he falls...” Brady hesitated, clearly fighting an emotion that only a father would understand. His blue eyes found Draven’s. �
��We all do. If you hold the key to this trial, you have to come. This is the calmest she’s been all day. She’s calm because she thinks she’s found an answer.”
Draven locked his jaw and nodded once. He put his arm around me and led me down the hall, around the corner, far enough away that they couldn’t hear us. He leaned me against the wall and held his face inches from mine.
“Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?” he whispered.
I stared up into his eyes, which were filled with fear and frustration. “It can’t get any more dangerous than what we’re already going through.”
“Did you not see her, Charlie? Do you not realize how much power she has? She can thrust grown men across the room. Crush them with a thought. Everything we can do in The Realm, she can do here.”
“Everything?” I asked, not understanding how I’d missed that.
“She can’t create anything like weapons or scenes, but she doesn’t need to; with a thought, she can kill a man, she can move across dimensions, into others’ bodies. She commands the weather.”
“I didn’t see that,” I said, holding his stare. “What I saw was a scared girl looking for her soul mate. She needs us. The devil may have thrown us together to destroy ourselves, but we’re smarter than that. We’ll use it to make ourselves invincible.”
“Charlie,” he said as he raised his hand to cradle my face. “She’s as bright as you are, her aura; the two of you are a blinding light when you’re standing side by side.”
I gasped and tried to smile.
“What?” he asked as his frantic eyes searched over my face. “Do you have any idea what I went through standing in that room? What I felt, how bad it hurt me?”
“Baby,” I said, reaching for his face, “you did it. You stood there, you got all the information you needed to and didn’t give in to any hunger. She’s already helping you. Can’t you see that? You passed the first test. For all you know, Bianca or whoever she’s working for was expecting you to kill her, me -- but you didn’t.” I put my hand on his chest and felt his heart beating wildly. “Your light is feeding you. If you don’t believe that, then we have to find another way.”
