Insight: Web of Hearts and Souls #1 (Insight series 1)

by Jamie Magee

Dinner was at sunset. We drove Landen’s black Jeep into town; this was the first time I’d left the area around our home. My eyes widened as I gazed at the lush fields, homes sprinkling the horizon. None of them looked the same, a unique personality accompanying each of them. The outline of the town was coming into view on the horizon; from where we were, it looked broader than Franklin.

  Landen parked on one of the side streets. The roads were made of stones set perfectly together. The buildings were crafted uniquely, with light colors and wood framework. Each stoop had beautiful flowers sitting on it. The town was full of people, each of them beautifully original; their skin was as dark as night, yet their eyes were a crystal blue. Others would be as light as snow and every shade in between; the one common factor was the peace you could feel emanating from them.

  Along the streets, banners were stretched across with our names written in a beautiful script. My parents, Dane and Clarissa, had banners as well. Lights reached out from building to building, giving the street a picturesque canopy. Music could be heard throughout the town. Children ran through the streets dressed in beautiful bright colors. Their laughter energized us as we walked by.

  The atmosphere was electric. It reminded me of how a crowded concert would be at home—energized, joyful, and carefree. Some were braver than others, stopping and shaking hands with Landen and me, others would only bow their heads, with a sweet smile. Landen introduced me to several couples he’d carried home. I met well over thirty of them in a one-block radius; the pride of having known him was overwhelming around them.

  As we neared the center of town, large tables with white cloths lined the streets, and beautiful candles surrounded by roses set the centerpieces. The center of town was transformed into a dance floor, and the band played a beautiful melody.

  A path was made for us as we crossed the dance floor, and as Landen swirled me into the center of everyone, applause erupted. He caught me in my spin and pulled me to him, kissing me softly for the world to see. The crowd grew louder, their energy rushing through us. We lost ourselves inside each other’s eyes, dancing to song after song.

  The impatience of our favorite little girl, Libby, caught our attention. We went to the other side where we could see our family sitting along a large U-shaped table; others that I hadn’t met sat amongst them.

  We took our place near the center, next to my parents, Dane and Clarissa. Landen, with Libby in his lap, sat next to my father. Rose was to my right, Karsten to her side. I watched as they stood and greeted another older couple. A small crowd lingered around them, causing me to lose my stare. Desperate to regain it, I adjusted my seat. The man’s skin was dark, his hair was short and white, and his eyes were as pale as clear water. The woman was small with long black curly hair, her eyes were as black as coal, and I could feel their admiration. Feeling my stare, the man turned to me and smiled as he bowed his head.

  “Landen, who is that next to Karsten?”

  Landen looked up from his quiet conversation with my father to follow my gaze. It was clear he hadn’t noticed them before. I could feel respect, joy, and love coming from Landen. He stood, putting Libby in my father’s lap, and pulled me up with him.

  “That is my grandfather, August, and my grandmother, Nyla. They’re home.”

  I followed Landen as he stepped closer. His grandfather rose as he saw us approach his grandmother followed. Landen all but threw himself into his grandfather’s arms; it was easy to see that he was closer to his grandfather than he was to Ashten.

  “Willow, this is August and Nyla, my grandparents,” Landen said, formally introducing me to them. I was quickly pulled into their joyful embrace, and from the dance floor I could hear applause.

  “I’m proud of you,” August said to Landen as he looked at me again. “We’ve been trying to get home for days. The storms were more difficult where we were...they haven’t been giving you a hard time, now have they?”

  “They’re silent,” Landen said in a frustrated tone as he pulled me closer, smiling down at me.

  “I imagine that they are,” August said, smiling at Landen. “I spoke with your father. You’ve certainly humbled him.”

  “Not intentionally,” responded Landen.

  “I left something for you at your house. You’d already left when we stopped by,” August said.

  Landen tilted his head curiously. August leaned in closer and whispered something to Landen, ending the conversation.

  Couples filled the dance floor as dinner ended, and one had my full attention: Olivia and Chrispin; they seemed to glide across the floor. The smile across Olivia’s face overshadowed her recent blindness, and no one dared to try and divide them. Landen and I were separated unintentionally. His grandfather, Brady, and others who names I had forgotten surrounded him. I was surrounded as well. The space between us was odd, yet bearable, being filled by people who I’d seen the least since being there.

  I was nestled next to Rose as the conversations blossomed around us. I felt safe next to her, and understood. The uncomfortable separation brought Landen back to me, his followers were close behind, and then it was simple just to relax and feel the harmony.

  Across the street, I watched as Libby and an older woman were talking. Libby then followed her into the store that they were standing in front of, almost certainly convincing the woman to give her a special treat. My eyes were growing heavy. Our day had been long and arduous. I laid my head on Landen’s shoulder as he listened to one of August’s stories of recent travels.

  Kissing the top of my head, he thought, “You’re not leaving me, are you?”

  Before I could protest his thoughts, I felt Libby crawl across my lap and onto Landen’s.

  “Willow, I have something for you,” she whispered.

  “You do?” I said, genuinely surprised.

  Libby reached into the pocket on her dress and brought out a small brown bag, trying to hide it from my parents’ view, not caring that she had Landen and Rose’s full attention.

  “Tonight when you go see Hannah and Jessica, you’ll need this,” Libby said.

  “What will I need it for?” The bag felt as if it were full of sand.

  “When you see the mean monkey, throw this in his eyes, and he’ll go away and not hurt you.”

  Landen reached for the bag and causally slid it into his pocket before anyone else noticed the exchange.

  “What is it, sweetie?” asked Rose.

  “Garlic salt,” Libby said, covering her lips to let Rose know it was a secret.

  The feeling of certainty coming from Libby was frightening. A mean monkey—what did she mean? A little girl with ivory skin and liquid blue eyes came over, beckoning Libby to play with her. Libby hugged me tightly and said, “Don’t be scared. I’ve protected you.”

  As she ran across the dance floor, my heart sank and my breath left me. We had no power to protect her from what she saw; defenseless, she would witness the battle before it came to be.

  The dread was coming from Landen as well, but we were both thankful that whatever we faced tonight would be mild. Libby had no fear; her certainty still lingered around us.

  The celebration went on. Not wanting to appear ungrateful for the companionship, we stayed, half-heartedly listening to the many tales around us. Rose’s distraction was apparent, as her laugh would be delayed when a story called for it. As the moon shifted, everyone’s eyes seem to grow weary, and one-by-one the town began to empty of people. Hoping we’d served our purpose, Landen excused us.

  Libby had fallen asleep in my mother’s lap, and I hugged and kissed them both good night. Landen hugged August and Nyla. I looked for Rose, but I couldn’t find her. My father made his way to us, and he kissed my forehead, telling me goodbye.

  When we reached Landen’s Jeep, we saw Rose leaning against the side of it, waiting patiently for us to reach her. She hesitated as a group of people passed by before she spoke.

  “I know the last thing you want is someone else telling you what to d
o. That’s not my intent, but I implore you to please tell me when you leave tonight,” Rose said.

  We weren’t concerned with the ‘monkeys’ we were supposed to see that night, simply because Libby had no fear when she’d told us, assuring us we had no reason to be afraid. Rose’s concern, though, was shaking the solid ground on which we stood. Our pause gave her reason to explain further. “If you’re gone too long, or if you’re afraid, I want to try and wake you. That monkey could be anywhere between here and those girls, and waking you might keep you safe.”

  Hearing her conclusion, we nodded slowly with eyes wide open, realizing the danger that she feared for the first time.

  Rose’s calm returned to her.

  Landen was looking up the street, watching Ashten and his mother leave, waving bye to them.

  “Willow, I think we should tell your father, his insight would make what Rose wants to do more efficient.”

  The sudden relief that came over me told him that I agreed. Looking now at Rose, Landen laid out a plan for her. “We’re going to tell Jason so he can help you watch us. After we fall asleep, we’ll come to the two of you before we leave.”

  The conversation was halted as Karsten and my parents approached. Rose coaxed my mother into letting her and Karsten take her and Libby home; sensing that I needed my father, she went hastily.

  Landen opened the passenger door of the Jeep for my father to get in. Looking confused, he complied. I then climbed in the back, and we drove off to a more private place. Landen and my father talked casually about the celebration, August, and others that had come from so far to see all of us.

  The lights of the town faded; now only the stars and moon, which was growing fuller each night, showed the way. We stopped at the edge of the driveway that led to my father’s house, and Landen and I got out.

  Slowly, my father made his way out, confusion coursing from him. I nodded in Landen’s direction, encouraging him to start. He cleared his throat and said, “Jason, we need you to do us a favor.” My father nodded, agreeing before he even knew what we wanted him to do. “Willow and I can control where we go when we sleep, and tonight we’re going to see if the herb healed Hannah and Jessica.”

  “You can control it?”

  “We taught ourselves last night,” Landen said proudly.

  “We came to see you,” I added.

  My father looked quickly at me. “Did you change my emotion?”

  I nodded. I felt my father’s amazement, mixed with pride.

  “Jason, Libby told us we’d see mean monkeys tonight. She gave us garlic salt and told us to throw it in their eyes. Rose wants to wake us if we’re scared. You’d be able to see if we were hurt,” Landen said.

  “How would my mother know if you were afraid?” my father asked, shaking his head, trying to understand what we were saying.

  I glanced at Landen, and he looked back at me; we’d both forgotten that Rose had kept her insight a secret.

  “She has the gift of emotion, too,” I said, putting my hand on my father’s shoulder. “She said her father told her that she should keep it to herself if she truly wanted to help people.”

  My father nodded. I felt his understanding.

  “If you know there’s going to be danger, why are you going?”

  “It’s just a precaution. Libby’s not afraid of what we’re going to see. Tonight will serve as a test. If we have a strong enough control over this, maybe we’ll be able to get the star back without putting anyone in danger,” Landen explained.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go into Esterious without your bodies. I’m more than sure that they’d be able to hurt you.”

  “How do you know that?” I asked, looking for more answers.

  “The Priests were able to put Drake in that state. Obviously, they’d know how to hinder you,” my father explained. He looked glanced between Landen and me. “How are you going to contact me? Should I stay at your house?”

  “We’ll stop here before we leave, try and get some rest,” Landen answered.

  “I’m going to get Rose to stay with us, so you only have to stop at one place. I’d think you’d be stronger just as you left…don’t use all your energy finding us.”

  We agreed with my father. Landen drove him to his front door, then took us home.

  Walking in our home, we almost looked over the small package lying just inside on the floor. August had told Landen that he’d left something for us. I reached down for the box. I was excited to see what was in it.

  “Do you know what it is? What did August whisper to you?” I asked, handing it to Landen.

  “He said it would keep us both safe.”

  When Landen opened the small brown box, something fell and hit the hardwood floor. It was two silver rings, which began circling in place. When they stopped, I reached down and grabbed them.

  They were quite heavy for being so small. Within the band of the rings an eye was inscribed. Two long lashes stretched out from the bottom, and seven gold lines made a border along the base of the eye. Landen slid the smaller ring on my left hand, and I slid the larger one on his. As if they’d found their rightful place, the rings tingled our fingers upon first touch, and the silver seemed to brighten.

  I slid the ring off again to look at the inscription; as I did, the silver dulled and the tingle left my hand in protest.

  “Do you know what this means?” I asked, counting the seven gold lines. I’d seen this before—the night I picked out my tattoo. It was the eye of RA, and it meant “protection.” My ankh meant “eternal life.” I reasoned that if I had eternal life, I wouldn’t need protection—that’s why I chose the ankh.

  “August told me a lot of stories. If I remember correctly, I think it’s a watchful eye. I don’t remember what culture or dimension he was referring to when he described it, though.”

  “Well, if it’s the same as my tattoo, it came from Infante. It’s Egyptian,” I said, looking at my wrist and the uninvited star inside my loop.

  “Egyptians, as you call them, are in a lot of dimensions and are a very advanced people,” Landen said, sliding the ring on my finger again. The tingle came as the shine returned. “They’re the only other people that we’ve discovered exploring the strings. They’ve settled across many dimensions.”

  “Seriously?” I asked, thinking he was just teasing me.

  Smiling, he answered, “The string is energy. In theory, everyone should be able to see it. People have the power to change their perspective. They just get caught up in an endless cycle of foolish things that don’t matter.”

  I looked down at my olive skin, matching my tone to Landen’s and wondering if that culture was a part of me.

  “Do you know what my tattoo means?” I asked Landen.

  He smiled. “‘Eternal life.’ I remember when you got it. I thought you were trying to tell me something,” he said, tracing the cross while avoiding the star in the loop.

  “I think I was trying to tell myself something that I’d find you in this life or the next,” I said, looking up at him and smiling shyly.

  Landen kissed my lips softly causing my soul to seize with anticipation. “I always knew I’d find you,” he swore.

  I looked down at the rings again. It felt like I had seen them before, too, like they’d always been ours. “Did August tell you where he got these?”

  “He really didn’t have a chance. All he said was ‘time is simply an illusion, and the gifted live on,’” Landen said, smiling. “August isn’t like the others. He isn’t quick to offer advice. He likes to watch your mind work.” He laughed a little, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. “He said he needed to show us something in the morning.”

  “Is he going to tell us what the others are hiding?”

  “I believe he will.”

  We changed out of our party clothes and into the all-black attire. We then laid in our bed in silence. Hoping we’d given Rose and my father time to rest, we drifted to sleep, almos
t simultaneously. Standing over our bodies, the addictive rush of excitement came over us again. Landen checked his pocket to make sure the garlic salt was with us then looked at me.

  “Let’s try this: think of your father’s porch.” He reached his arm around my waist and pressed his forehead to mine, concentrating on my father’s porch.

  “We did it,” he thought. I opened my eyes to see that Landen was right. We were on the front steps. A rush of excitement came through us, more exhilarating than before. I gave him an alluring smile; this power was becoming less elusive.

  I led the way through the door. All the lights were off, and I could sense peaceful sleep coming from five people. Karsten must have stayed there, too. Walking up the stairs, we stopped in the guest room. Rose was asleep in a chair with an open book resting on her lap. I was afraid to wake her and startle her. We went down the hall to my parents’ room. When we opened the door, my father raised his head and whispered into the darkness. “Willow.”

  I walked over to him and pulled back his blanket, letting him know it was us, and a rush of excitement came over him as he watched the blanket move without seeing anyone. Landen found a note pad on my mother’s side of the bed and wrote “wake Rose, we are on our way now.”

  Already dressed, my father slid on his shoes and walked to Rose’s room.

  “Do you want to see if we can make it to the hospital the same way?” I asked. Landen smiled, and we held each other again and focused on the roof that we’d been on earlier that day. A moment later, raindrops could be heard. When we opened our eyes, we were on the roof. It was an awful looking day; the sky was so dark, it was hard to tell that it was daylight. There was thunder in the distance with increasing wind.

  Knowing the way, I took Landen’s hand, and we walked in the door and down the steps. The hospital was quiet; not much was happening there, new births being the most exciting thing.

  The maternity ward was on the fourth floor, and we passed that doorway on our way to the third floor.

  We opened the door slowly, not knowing who might be standing close to it. At the end of the hallway, we could see two women standing outside one of the doors. As we approached them, I could see it was Chase’s mom, and Gina, Dane’s mom. We listened as they talked.

  “It just doesn’t make any sense, how did they get here so fast?” Gina said.

  “At least they’re safe. The search for Monica was called off yesterday…I don’t think this town could bear losing another child,” Chase’s mom said in a sorrowful tone.

  I looked at Landen. He felt my grief and put his arm around me.

  “I wish someone could get a hold of Jason, or Grace, for that matter. Jason would know what was wrong. That man is the best doctor on this planet.”

  I felt a rush of pride all my own as they spoke of my parents.

  “How is Dane anyway? I can’t believe he ran off with Willow like that. I bet you’re happy, aren’t you?”

  Landen was shaking his head and smiling. He wasn’t angry or jealous. It was just odd how Dane and Clarissa had met.

  “He’s not with Willow. He’s—he’s seeing one of her friends, Clarissa,” answered Gina, confused by her own words.

  “Oh, I see. Do you know if Willow’s okay? Chase said that Willow and Dane were really hung up on each other. That kid, Drake, made a move on Willow, and Dane showed up, saw it, and was furious. Chase said they had to stop Dane from tearing that guy apart.”

  “Remind me to tell Dane he’s awesome when we get back,” Landen thought.

  “Willow is happy, too. Grace said she’s in love with a really great guy, and Grace and Jason both seem to love him. They went to school with his parents, I think,” Gina said, trying to curve the conversation.

  “So tell me about Clarissa, what’s she like?”

  “Dane called a day or so ago. He’s going to go to Paris, too. Right now, they’re in New York. He said he’d come home before he went overseas.”

  “So Dane could ask Jason to come home, too?”

  Before Gina could answer, the door they were standing in front of opened, and Olivia’s aunt, came out, holding a pad of paper. Still studying the words on it, she looked tired and aged by the event.

  “How’s Hannah,” Gina asked.

  “She’s asleep now. I don’t know. She doesn’t remember anything about getting on a boat or going to the Keys,” Olivia’s aunt said, leaning against the wall and staring at the notes.

  “Do they know what happened to her voice or Jessica’s hearing?”

  “The doctor said the memory loss is due to trauma, but he thinks the girls will recover if they rest.”

  “What about Olivia? Does Hannah remember where she is?” asked Gina.

  “Hannah can’t even tell me if she was ever with them to begin with.”

  Feeling their agonizing grief and confusion, I shifted my way in front of Olivia’s aunt. Landen took a protective step forward, bracing himself for anything that could happen.

  As I reached for her shoulders, my trembling hands anticipated the rush. Staring into her eyes, I concentrated on peace. I remembered how happy Olivia looked dancing with Chrispin, hearing her laughter over the music. Her eyes closed slowly then opened again, looking past the room. Gina and Chase’s mom started to yell her name, fearing she was passing out. My fingertips tingled. Just as I felt her emotion change to joy, a flash of light came across my face, causing me to lose my touch. The rush found Landen, and the sensation boomeranged between us, intensifying the high and energizing our spirit.

  Olivia’s aunt let out a gasp of air as Chase’s mom and Gina both reached for her, blocking a potential fall. At first, I thought I’d done something wrong or hurt her somehow, but she just gasped again then smiled.

  “She’s fine. Olivia’s happy, she’s found her place.”

  “What?” Gina asked, looking behind her, halfway expecting Olivia to be standing there.

  “I could see her, dancing and laughing. She’s in love. It’s in her eyes, a light I haven’t seen … since,” Olivia’s aunts words faded as tears surfaced in the corner of her eyes. She took a deep breath and stood up straight. Smiling, she still carried the joy I’d given her. “I think I need some coffee. Will you guys go with me?”

  Gina and Chase’s mom walked behind her, whispering and looking back through where we stood.

  “What was that? Did it hurt you?” Landen reached down, examining my fingertips.

  “No, it was amazing—exhilarating.”

  “Were you thinking of them dancing? Is that what she saw?”

  “Yeah, I don’t know how she saw them. I always think of something when I help. Did you see that light?”

  Landen nodded.

  “Where did it come from?”

  “Her, well, the both of you. A light came from your fingers, then another burst from her chest.”

  The elevator door dinged, then opened. A nurse got off as Olivia’s aunt and the others got on. We watched as the nurse checked a clipboard before going into the room across the hall. As we waited, we were hit hard with terror. Looking at each other, then to the room, we were sure where it was coming from.

  Landen grabbed my hand before going into Hannah’s room. It was dark. Only a little light came from the gray windows where rain sheeted across the pane. I could see Jessica’s mother sleeping on a couch under the window. All of a sudden, the terror we were feeling seemed to double. Landen saw them first – the ‘monkeys.’

  Jessica and Hannah were in beds side-by-side, asleep, and on their chests sat small demonic animals that resembled monkeys. They had short red hair, and spikes made of reddish bone lined their spines. Horns crowned their head and black collars circled their small necks. Their feet were planted firmly on the girls’ chests as they stared centimeters from their sleeping faces.

  We stared, frozen with horror.

  “We have to hide our fear,” I thought, remembering that Rose would wake us before we’d be able to help if she felt it in our bod
ies.

  We both pushed it aside and found anger instead. As we stared, not believing our eyes, we listened to the growling of the monkeys as they breathed. Landen reached in his pocket for the bag of garlic salt. He then opened it, grabbed a handful of it, and gave me a handful, too. We never took our eyes off the demons. The girls moaned as if they were in pain, and the chuckle of a growl filled the room.

  The terror coming from the girls was growing stronger. Not knowing if the demons could see us, we stepped cautiously in their direction. All at once, the growling halted, and the one on Jessica looked slowly over its shoulder, its red eyes glowing in the dark room. The other one sensed us and turned as well. It was clear that they could see us. As they stepped off the two girls’ chests, their terror faded as they turned restlessly. The demons sauntered toward us as the growls resumed and grew louder. Landen and I threw the handfuls of salt at them. They let out large growls as the salt hit their faces then leaping at us they suddenly vanished. Stunned, we looked slowly at each other, allowing the fear to come out.

  A resilient pull came over us, and as we gasped for breath, we suddenly found ourselves back in our bed. My father was standing over me, and Rose was standing over Landen. They were shaking our shoulders. We jolted up, making sure we were both back. Landen dove across the bed and pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my neck. His fear was in rhythm with his heartbeat. He knew just like I did that those things had visited me often. The weight on my chest—that was them.

  “Never again, Willow. He will never do that to you again. I swear I’ll kill him—never again,” Landen said through his teeth as he rocked me back and forth.

  The fear in the room was overpowering. Rose and my father stood like statues, not sure what had happened.

  “Olivia…Landen…Olivia,” I said, pushing him back and holding his face so he would have to look at me through his rage.

  Olivia was sleeping now. The demons could be tormenting her where she lay.

  “Jason, where is Olivia?” shouted Landen, still staring at me.

  “She’s…uh…she’s with Felicity. What’s—”

  My father was cut short as we rushed by him down the stairs, out the door, and into the Jeep. Landen didn’t even use the road. He tore off across the field in the darkness. Just over the second hill, a house could be seen in the moonlight. Like the others, it was wrapped in porches. We stopped inches short of the front porch.

  Landen charged open the door not caring how loud it banged back. He raced up the stairs two at a time. I ran to keep pace with him. At the top of the stairs, he took a quick left, opening the first door. The light flicked on, and Olivia lay, sleeping peacefully. I walked breathlessly to her side to wake her, and I could hear Brady charging down the hall with Felicity close behind.

  “Olivia! Olivia, I need you to wake up!” I said, trying to catch my breath.

  Landen stopped Brady at the door, and Felicity peered in under his arm as they stared, wide-eyed.

  Startled awake, Olivia sat up defensively.

  “Have you had a nightmare?” I said through the tears that were catching up with me, the demons’ eyes staring through my memory.

  “What? Willow, are you okay? What happened?”

  “Have you had a nightmare!” I yelled.

  “No, not since I was little—why?” she asked, reaching for me.

  I pushed away before she could touch me, charging my way out of the room and back down the stairs. I needed air. I was gasping, not wanting to cry, not wanting to succumb to the terror that had chased me through childhood.

  Landen was right behind me. He grabbed my arm and swung me into his arms as I reached the porch. I buried my face in his chest. Letting it all go, I cried breathlessly. The images that I’d helped, the pain I endured each time, the fear I’d overcome—it all flashed through my eyes.

  I felt Rose and my father approach as the others looked out at us. Landen waved them all away and let me cry. Holding me tighter as the minutes passed the tears ran dry. Light was starting to peak over the hill. When the tears finally dried on my face we went in the house.

  They were all in the living room; Felicity and Olivia had fallen asleep toe–to-toe on the couch, and Brady, Rose, and my father were sitting, tensely waiting for us.

  Brady raised his hands to question what was going on; looking at my father and Rose, it was clear they hadn’t told Brady about watching our bodies. Landen slid in one of the oversized chairs and nestled me against him. I laid on his chest, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone.

  “We went to check on Hannah and Jessica. We…” Landen stopped, looking at my father, then down at me. “We saw these things, demonic monkey-looking things, sitting on their chests. They were being tortured with nightmares.”

  “Sitting?” my father repeated.

  Landen nodded. “Like a heavy weight,” he bit out. Anger coursed through him as he squeezed me tighter.

  Brady stood, rubbing his arms nervously. As he began pacing the floor, fear and confusion overcame him. “Landen, are you serious? Demons—seriously!” he said in a harsh whisper, looking back to make sure Felicity was still sleeping.

  Landen’s angry blank stare told Brady we were very serious.

  “What did you do? I mean, how do you come back from something like that?” asked Brady.

  “Garlic salt,” Rose said, realizing Libby had given us the weapon that saved us.

  Brady raised his hands in the air protesting the foolishness he heard. “I don’t think I want to know,” he said, sitting back down. “Does Dad know?” he stood again, ready to defend Landen’s point of view if his father came charging in the door. He looked at my father, trying to measure his perspective.

  Landen shook his head. “Not yet. Libby told Rose, and we needed Jason to watch our bodies as we slept.”

  “What do you mean, ‘bodies’?” Brady said, looking at Rose and Jason.

  “We can control where we go when we sleep,” Landen answered.

  Brady sat back in his chair and stared blankly. I felt him arguing with his emotions; he wanted to be proud of us, but he was too terrified.

  “What did you see?” Brady asked my father.

  Landen and I looked curiously in his direction to see if he could see the rush we’d felt helping Connie.

  “Their adrenaline levels rose repeatedly, elevating their heartbeats. We didn’t start waking them until Rose could feel their fear,” my father answered.

  Brady looked awestruck at Rose; it seemed everyone would now know that she had always had the insight of emotion.

  “I think we may know why Landen never had nightmares: this world can’t be found that way either,” Rose said.

  Hearing her words, I sat up slowly, staring into Landen’s eyes as relief came over him. He realized that Drake couldn’t reach me there, that I was sheltered from the nightmares, but Jessica and Hannah now bore the horror that had tormented me for so many years. Landen’s relief was only a small reward. I wouldn’t rest until I stopped Drake from hurting anyone—not just the ones I cared for.

  The phone rang, and Brady dove across the room, answering it on the first ring; it was my mother, looking for my father. My father took the phone, whispering and promising my mother that we were all safe. I wondered how many houses she’d called, looking for us, how many knew now what we could do.

  Brady coaxed a sleepy Felicity to her room. As she glanced back at me, I whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  She smiled, understanding the chaos. Rose guided Olivia back to the guest room. My father went to speak. Not finding the words, his lips hesitated. Landen then answered the unasked question. “Tell him, and the others. Right now, our bodies need rest,” he said, standing setting me on my feet. My father nodded and hugged me before we left, clearly relieved that Landen was cool with him telling his father about this night.