Vindicate

by Jamie Magee

  She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at me. “Are you sure you’re not seeing me?”

  “Very. Draven told me about it.”

  “Did he?” she said , looking at him as her emotions swarmed from everything from worry to relief. “That’s him. He’s very charismatic, very powerful. She doesn’t trust him, but I catch her thinking about him. If you hadn’t have shown up when you did, chances are he would have found a way to her heart. He’s almost there.”

  “There ’s a reason for everything , ” I mumbled under my breath as I felt a familiar emotion that was very livid coming at me.

  I picked up my pace , and Charlie followed. She reached for Draven’s hand , and I weaved through the others , feeling Brady at my side. I knew Ashten was in the string now, and he was mad – not so much at me , but at Brady.

  Right as the gray hazes of Esterious came into view , I saw him and one other traveler. Grief had aged him ; he looked and felt weak. I walked faster , and before he could say a word , I put my hands on either side of his face and thought of how much I loved Landen , how much I knew he loved his dad. I let that course though my hands , feeling Ashten take on those emotions ; his eyes grew lighter , and the blue made me feel closer to Landen.

  “It’s not Brady’s fault, or anyone else’s.” I said so quietly that only he could hear me. “I dreamed of Landen, and I chased that dream.” I looked over my shoulder , then back at him. “I found the twins, the song. I found a way to get to him, to bring him home to us . Don’t scare them with you r fear or anger . We need them ; they need us.”

  Ashten slowly let out a breath as I moved my hands f rom his face and he looked behind me at all of them. His eyes moved to Brady , and he tilted his head to the side. It was as if he w ere seeing himself in Brady ; the pride he had told me so. He looked down at me and quietly said , “Well put , Willow…I can’t say that I agree with how any of you ran off without a word or that I think it’s fair that you gave us something else to worry about.” He locked stars with his oldest son. “I understand , and I would have done the same thing.” He glanced pas t Brady and nodded once at Austin. “Who do we have here?”

  Austin made his introductions as Ashten nodded along. Ashten looked at all of them . “Who is the Libra?” he asked. Charlie raised her hand. “Taurus , I assume,” he said as he looked at Aden and Draven. They nodded in response . A s they stared deep into Ashten , their emotions , which ranged in every direction , led me to believe that they were seeing him - reading him like a book.

  Ashten tilted his head around Winston to look more closely at Madison. I felt his disbelief. “What else did you find, Willow ?” h e asked where only I could hear him.

  “Someone who will run if we say a word , ” I mumbled.

  He stepped closer to her. “And where does you r sun rest?” he asked warmly.

  “Scorpio,” she said as she looked at him with the same frustration with which she looked at me.

  “Not a fan of that sign?” Ashten asked in a perplexed tone as he read her expression.

  “Love it,” Madison said in a quiet , confident tone. “But I don’t love that I can’t see you , at least not all of you. There ’s a void , and it’s driving me mad , ” s he said as she glanced at Charlie.

  Ashten looked at me for some kind of help. “No worries , Ashten . I’m a complete void - she means that she – they – can see everything that led you to this point.”

  “All of you have voids , ” Madison said as she looked between Olivia, Brady , and me. “Will you tell me what’s in that void since my best friends refuse to?” s he asked , looking at Charlie and Draven.

  If she only knew how badly I wanted to. I felt the fear and dread instantly rise in the others. It was amplified by the energy of the string , and if I had to guess , Madison felt it , to o .

  I smiled shyly. “As Draven put it, our existence is vast . There is no way for us to know what you can’t see. I’m sure when you’re meant to see it, ready for it, it will be clear as day.”

  I expected her to say that she was ready, to demand that I tell her, because that ’s what I would have done, but she didn’t do that.

  She looked down at her wrist to her tattoo , then up at m e. “Agreed. Can we proceed with killing Bianca now?”

  Ashten’s eyes grew wide as he looked at me. “Did I miss something? Since when do we commit murder in this family?”

  “We don’t,” I promised. “That ’s the name of the demon that took them. I don’t think murder applies to demons.”

  “And you would be correct, because you cannot kill a de mon. Only transform the energy, and that can only be done if you rise above duality. Or so I’m told , ” Ashten said , looking once more at Madison. She looked away in what looked like embarrassment for her bluntness.

  “Looks like August has had your attention , ” I mumbled , wondering how lo ng August had had that notion. Why he hadn ’t pressed that point.

  “My f ather has always believed that, but I can ’t help who I am. That notion is meant for souls much wiser than mine.” Ashten said humbly . His eyes left mine and moved to Monroe. “You look much younger. How do your parents feel about you being here?”

  “She doesn’t speak , ” Grayson said for her. “She ’s in my care ; our home is where we are.”

  “Where are your parents?” Ashten asked in a concerned fatherly tone.

  “Not here,” Grayson answered , with the intent of not sharing such a private tragedy. I felt his grief for his mother and his disdain for his father. Winston had no clear emotion that would show how he felt about his parents , and Monroe reflected a serene peace that I had yet to feel her break from.

  I put my hand on Ashten’s shoulder. “Will you find rooms for them, their stuff? I want to end this now , ” I said , then turned to walk to the passage that led to the palace floor that Landen and Drake were on.

  Olivia was at my side at once. I felt her eagerness to see Chrispin. She felt guilty for be ing gone for the last few hours and was eager to explain why she had no choice but to make him worry. As we stepped into the passage side -by -side , I remembered what I’d seen in the looking glass with Stella, me returning with Olivia…the darkness that came right after that. I felt my heart race , and whatever confidence I had that I would beat this began to fade with that memory.

  Inside the passage, the entry hall that had been created for us to come and go - there was nothing in the emotions around me that would give credit to what the looking glass had shown. Right as I reached the doorway that changed.

  I felt a terror. Anger. Sadness . I heard a scream to back those emotion s up. I turned to see Charlie on her knees , holding her ears. Madison seemed stronger , but she was struggling , to o . Draven was at Charlie’s side instantly . He fumbled with her pockets , finally finding her headphones , then put them in her ears and tu rned the sound up all the way. Aden looked at Madison and yelled , “Are you ready ?” She nodded , then Aden yelled , “Show yourself!”

  Then I saw it : darkness ; it was all around them. The light from the hall behind me and the small wave that led to the string was all that illuminated this room. Ashten and Austin had stepped though that passage but then quickly backed out , keeping Winston, Grayson , and Monroe in the string. Brady refused to stay in there without me ; he feared it was me that was hurt and pushed through.

  My heart was racing. I was stabbing my nail in to my skin so hard that I was sure blood would soon surface.

  I didn’t know what to do , w hat to push my energy at , i f I would hurt them or hinder them. Then they started to say words that made no sense. “Lavender, you are worthy, sunset – first snow – baked bread,” and other words in random languages. I thought they were insane , but the building confidence I felt in them – the calm state they now had led me to believe they knew what they were doing.

  Brady reached my side just as little lights be gan to appear in the darkness. I thought they were making progress-helping souls . I couldn ’t see clearly ,
but I knew every time a light came , darkness covered it.

  “Get them out of here!” I yelled with an immediate intent to protect them.

  Just as we took a step toward them , I heard Charlie yell , “Silence !” I saw her small image move through the shadows. “You want to be redeemed?!” she yelled louder. “Why do I need to show you when you stand in the presence of that definition?!” Charlie appeared at the edge of the darkness , then the shadows began to surround me. Brady threw up a shield of energy around me , refusing to let anything hurt me. “Think of him , Willow – show them , ” Charlie said , firmly ignoring the barrier between us.

  I felt her intent ; it was to show each of these souls what was taken from them, to show them what I want ed to bring back to this dimension: l ove. I held her stare and said , “Let i t fall, Brady.” He did as I said , and when he did , I could just barely hear them, whispers overlapping in a vacant plea that sounded like Charlie and Draven’s name.

  “Show them,” Charlie said , pulling the headphones from her ears.

  I thought of Landen. I felt him. I felt every part of his soul in mine. I saw our dreams, what this world should look like. I felt our passion for this world, our love for each other. I felt it so deeply that I let my eyes smile at them. I promised them that their ancestors wouldn ’t live in the hell they had, even if it was last thing I ever did.

  At that moment , an explosion of light came to the room . It was brighter than the string, brighter tha n the sun itself . Then it faded , and the room that had always held a dreary light looked bright, brand new.

  Draven pulled Charlie to his chest and held her as tightly as he could. Madison locked eyes with me , then nodded once as she looked to make sure that Aden was OK. He was more than all right ; he was excited - for what reason , I don’t know . I t was like he saw something in me, some kind of saving grace.

  “What just happened?” Brady said in the calmest tone he could man a ge.

  “We do see the living,” Aden answered. “But we see way more of the dead. They seek us and we redeem them.”

  “How ?” I asked , feeling empowered by them.

  “We make them remember love,” Aden answered , staring at me. I felt the uncalled for respect and honor he had for me rise inside of him, a s well as the intent to do everything he could to help me reach my ultima te goal. “We say a word, describe something that brought that emotion to them, then they remember that they aren ’t meant to be damn ed. That at one time , the power of that emotion , love, belonged to them. They remember , so they ’re redeemed.”

  “That’s what those words were?” I asked . “Words that simple?”

  They all nodded. “These are the darkest souls I’ve ever seen , ” Charlie stated.

  “They listen to you , ” I said humbly .

  She nodded.

  “If I wasn’t here – how would you have stopped that many?” I asked , fearing that I had led them into danger and they were all too eager to follow. That could not be good.

  She glanced up at Draven , and I felt his heart breaking. She put her arm around him in an attempt to tell him the tension she felt coming from him was uncalled for. “At home – at home I show them my love for Draven. I tell them that if they want to feel that , then they need give me space so I can lead them to it.”

  “But you didn’t do that here , ” I said , understanding why Draven must have felt the way he did. He thought she didn’t show them her love because that emotion was fading.

  “I didn’t,” she said , holding Draven tighter. “I didn’t because this is your world, your darkness. I w on’t always be here, but you will. If they know you ’re on their side , they w on’t feed into the evil you ’re fighting. They ’ll protect you because you are their light, their way out.”

  I smiled faintly and stepped closer to them , feeling Aden’s intent to not let me say or do anything that may upset the balance that Charlie and Draven had found.

  I looked up at Draven. “When you saw me , did you see Landen teach me the insight of truth?”

  Draven’s jaw tighten ed, and he nodded once.

  “He would find peace around all of you , ” I said , holding his stare. “Do you want to know why?”

  He just held my s tare as hope rose in his soul. “Because all of you speak the truth, there is no doubt in your words....” My eyes fell to Charlie. “Thank you for teaching me that. I know that the love I feel you have for Draven would have helped them faster because you knew what you were doing, and because that love is just as powerful and real as what I feel for Landen ...I will hold on to that lesson ; I swear .”

  I felt the relief in Draven and the gratitude in Charlie.

  “Is it safe enough for the others?” Brady asked , moving closer to the passage. Draven nodded as he looked down at Charlie . He couldn’t help himself ; h e pulled her lips to his , and I felt a passion run through the both of them. Feeling that emotion built my energy and gave me the determination to feel it again – to feel Landen’s lips on mine.

  Aden and Madison star t ed to pick up their bags and guitar cases that they’d dropped in their battle. Brady waved his hand in the string , and cautiously Ashten stepped through , leading Winston. The second he appeared , I felt a cold wind pass me. When Grayson appeared with the other traveler , it became colder. I wasn’t the only one that felt it ; there was an instant fear in the others. When Austin stepped through with Monroe , a growl boomed around us. I knew that sound as well as I knew my own voice : it was the ghost of Donalt, or whatever demon had taken over him. Just as I went to tell them to leave , it appeared - my evil angel in all its decadence.

  The flawless body took over the center of the room , and its ash wings stretched broadly to each corner. He wasn’t looking at me ; he was looking at Monroe and her brothers. They weren’t afraid, not at all. They were angry, almost hurt. The angel reached its hands toward them , and defensively I threw my energy at it and Brady followed my lead . I ts image trembled but didn ’t fade or even try to defend itself from us.

  Winston and Grayson stood protectively in front of Monroe as Charlie pulled her away , hiding behind Draven. Winston smiled almost devilishly at the evil angel , and it returned the smirk. Grayson stepped forward boldly. “Give her back , ” h e said firmly.

  A growling sound bellowed from the evil angel , then t he sound turned into one deep command. “Come.”

  Rage rose inside of Grayson as he stepped back , looking for Monroe to ensure himself that she was safe. Seeing his defiance , the angel moved his hand , pushing him to the side. The others were surrounding Monroe as if she w ere their most precious possession. The angel waved his hand , causing Charlie, the twins , and Madison to fall a way. Charlie screamed for Monroe.

  Monroe had no fear. She stood and stared at the evil angel and slowly whispered , “Pater me temptatis , ” and with her words , a fierce wind blew through the room. The evil angel’s expression turned sad , and at that moment Brady, Olivia, and I thrust all the energy we had at him and watched him fade.

  I doubted that we were the cause of him leaving. I doubted that because I felt the confidence that Grayson and Winston had for their baby sister.

  Brady locked eyes with Ashten , then he looked at Austin. Travelers have a unique ability, one that I ’ve rarely used ; it ’s one that allows them to understand every language …I understood what she said. I understood it as clear as the words I’m thinking now . She said , “Father , tempt me not , ” in a dead langu ag e Infante calls Latin.

  In the numbing absence of adrenaline , Grayson pulled his sister to him and rocked her from side to side. Draven pulled himself up , then helped Charlie up as Madison and Aden made it to their feet. I felt their fear, but not of this place or that demon ; they were afraid for Monroe, her brothers , the ones that they were meant to help.

  “I told you I didn’t want to bring our demons to your doorstep , ” Charlie said in an attempt to apologize to me.

  “And I told you they were already h
ere , ” I said bleakly . Father tempt me not. Now that was deep. He had kids. How could that evil have kids? Kids this pure.

  I looked down at Monroe, to her brothers. “We’ll talk about this when you’re ready. We ’re more than willing to help you and your family , ” I said , knowing that Alamos would have a field day with the idea that Donalt, or that ghost, could have fathered children in a different dimension within the last twenty years. This was crazy. And not in a good way.

  “You don’t want to help us,” Grayson said solemnly. “You want to destroy him , and that’s fine with me.”

  Winston shook his head from side to side , clearly disagreeing with his brother. The others , with the exception of Monroe , were filled with fear, as they seemed to grasp pieces of something they were trying to understand together.

  “I don’t want to destroy him. I just want him out of my dimension. Out of all of them , ” I said serenely . I really felt sorry for this boy. No one should be forced to feel that much disdain for their father. It just wasn’t fair. Not when I knew how much kids needed a father figure. Mine had been a constant source of comfort in my life.

  I walked over to Charlie and let my hand rest on her shoulder , filling her with peace. I reached for Aden and Draven next , then I walked to Madison . I had no way to know what emotion was soaring through her , but I knew giving her calm wouldn ’t hurt ; in fact , it may lead her to trust me.

  I glanced at the others , feeling their gratitude and awe of the power I’d displayed. “They ’ll find rooms for you. Hopefully , you won’t need them long. When you’re ready to help me , I’ll be with Landen.”

  I looked down and walked to the doorway that led to the hallway. Olivia and Brady were at my side.

  “You still have that iPod?” I asked Olivia.

  She reached in her pocket and handed it to me. I slid it in my pocket and took in a deep breath , preparing myself to see Landen’s body . My brief absence had allowed me to fall into the illu sion that it was me and not him that was lost.