“It’s Marc.”
“Where have you been?” Landen asked.
Marc stared at me as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.
“You found her!” Marc’s voice rang with astonishment. “Do you want me to help you get home before I go and help Jason’s family?” he asked.
“This is Willow, Jason’s daughter,” Landen said.
Marc’s was utterly bewildered. “That isn’t possible…that would mean you’re both from Chara,” he said, looking back and forth between us.
“Willow and I must be the exception in the history of Chara. Listen, Dad found Jason a long time ago. He only wanted to come home now because Drake Blakeshire is looking for Willow.”
“Willow is the Scorpio? Why would he be looking for her?”
It wasn’t hard to tell he was not a fan of Esterious either.
“Everyone is silent when I ask. They’re hiding something from us,” Landen said in a tone that reflected the livid emotion his father always seemed to manifest within him.
“That must be why Ashten and Dad asked us to find a path that avoided Esterious,” Marc said, looking back and forth in the string.
“Did you find one?” Landen asked.
“Yeah, the one you told me to check. A storm is beginning to stir that way. We need to wait at least a day before we pass through it. Where are the others?”
“Back in the cabin. I was showing Willow how we travel.”
“Well, I guess I don’t have to come up with an excuse for turning up without you. Are you sure you don’t want to go home? We can make it if we’re cautious,” Marc said.
“We’re going to wait. We want to make sure Libby, Willow’s baby sister, gets to Chara safely,” Landen said.
Marc nodded. “I’m going to let you finish up your lessons. I’m beat,” he said as he began to move past us. “Stay clear of the gray paths,” he warned as he disappeared in the glow.
“Is gray bad?” I thought.
Landen gave me an impish grin. “No, they’re just man-made, so it’s hard to judge what you’re stepping into, Infante is known for having the most.”
“Were you not going to come and help my family? Is that what Marc meant when he said at least he wouldn’t have to come up with an excuse for showing up without you?”
He swayed his head. “We were leaving the day I saw you, and you gave me that note. I told Marc and Brady I was going to find you, and I didn’t care if my father wanted me to or not. They both agreed with me. Marc said he'd cover for me.”
My heart started to beat rapidly. He made me feel safe and empowered at the same time. I had no doubt that he would have moved mountains to find me after I gave him that note. I should have thought of doing something like that sooner.
Landen and I made our way through the string, stopping at every color that caught my eye. In one morning I had traveled from Montana to Zimbabwe, then to the beaches of Key West. We gazed at the northern lights and stood at the peak of Mt. Everest. As I looked at the Grand Canyon, in every single one of those places he took my breath away.
“Okay, so maybe your way is cooler,” I teased.
An impish grin touched his lips. “Not too bad for a first date.”
I had asked him a million questions throughout the day. About places he went to, who taught him what he knew, and about his family. Everything. He answered each of them and asked me something about my past. I told him about my friends, how it was the hardest to leave Olivia and Dane behind, that we were the old souls of our group, and that we only seemed to get each other.
I heard all about his brother, and his cousins, the places they had gone, people they had helped, funny stories and scary stories. The ironic part was every story we told each other, in some way we already knew it, because of our dreams, we could remember each other’s moods or actions on that night.
“How do you know so much about my world, but have only found me now?”
“I was not allowed this far from my home, specifically to Infante. Marc and Brady would bring me there from time to time. I felt pulled here, but I could never see my beacon. My time was short here, someone or something always pulled me away.”
“Did Ashten tell you why?”
“He was always silent when I asked…it doesn’t matter anymore.” He smiled and looked down at me, and I felt his enthusiasm rise. “It’s your turn. Where do we need to go to help you get started?”
I didn’t think I’d ever traveled outside of Franklin. It was easy to see someone out of place in your hometown.
“I just need people.”
“Jason said that I wouldn’t be able to see the people you could see.”
“Really?”
“That’s what he said; you scared him a few times.”
I laughed. “Dad looked extremely relieved to see you at my side last night.”
He tried to hide a grin. “I have a reputation when it comes to the string. I’m sure he thought I could follow you no matter how twisted you got in here.”
“What kind of reputation?” I asked, raising one brow.
He laughed, stealing a kiss before he answered. “I seem to see more paths.” He winked. “That made running away easier than it should’ve been.”
“They always found you, though.”
“I let them. I was just proving a point.” His gaze was all too serious right then. “We could run away now and never come back, but I know you feel pulled home just like I do.”
“I do. I want it all. I want you and I want my family side by side, in Chara.”
He brushed his nose across mine. “Then that is what you’re going to get.”
Chapter Seven
PISCES: They always feel things so deeply and they are always giving without expecting anything in return. They are easily moved by stories and inspired by people.
We found our way to a quaint little town that was a lot like Franklin. The buildings all dated back to the 1800s. Shops and restaurants lined the streets. We settled in at a little café in front of a square park that centered the town. People were pushing strollers, walking their dogs, and lounging on the benches. On the other side of the park was a beautiful church. Flowers and white lace decorated the step. I could only assume that a wedding was in progress.
“Are there places like that in Chara?”
“The building? Or what they do there?”
Knowing there was a wedding in the process, I squirmed in my seat. I should've never brought this up.
“Either.”
“Well, in some way, yes to both.” He gazed at the historic church with the utmost respect. “That place is powerful; I feel the same kind of energy when I go to the places I took you today.”
“I can see that.” I let the tension slide out of my body. He misread my question.
He tilted his head and glanced at me curiously. “Were you talking about the wedding? Or the higher power part?”
I started laughing, that’s all I could do to hide the embarrassment.
“Do you want a wedding?” he asked sincerely.
I couldn’t say or think a single thought. The boy had the insight of truth. I couldn’t lie, and I refused to admit I was curious about how couples symbolized a bond.
Landen moved his chair closer to mine, wrapped his arm around me, and we watched the couples make their way out.
“They seem happy,” Landen thought, glancing at the groom, then back to me.
I could sense the bride and groom from where I sat. There was a love between them, but, for some reason, our love felt older. Bonded at the core of our being.
“In Chara, we celebrate when couples find one another. Friends and family welcome home the ones who were searching and their soul mates.” Landen paused and looked deep into my eyes before continuing. “We believe that we are each other’s gift from the heavens. We thank the heavens every moment for the love we feel. In Chara, ‘I love you,’ is more than just three words. The words are an oath. Right now we are as, if not more so, comm
itted as that couple." He looked deeper into my eyes. "We are forever, Willow. This life and the next. I made you that promise the second I knew you could hear me.”
He drew my face closer to his and said, “I love you, Willow. I always have, and I always will.”
His voice, his words, they pushed me to the edge of tears. I was afraid I was going to wake up and find myself back in Franklin, dodging emotions and boys like Chase for the rest of my life.
“I love you,” I whispered.
He grinned, then with a teasing glare he ticked his head toward the church. “Is there an image over there? I can’t stand waiting to see the way you do this any longer.”
“All right. All right. I’m focusing. It's your fault—being all romantic and crap.”
He laughed out loud, and I blushed. I took me a second to stop staring at him. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath, only to open them and see him humorously looking at me.
“Breathe deep? That’s your trick.”
I playfully glared, then huffed out the frustration I was feeling. “Everyone seems to be in place. Images stick out.” Not to mention I was happy—I always saw images when my emotions were out of whack.
One nod, a teasingly, disbelieving nod.
“I’m serious.” I glanced around. “Come on, let’s walk.”
We had only taken a few steps before I felt that familiar pull on me. I hesitated and searched the emotions around us. Somebody was painfully nervous. I spotted a young man pacing back and forth. He looked as if he were rehearsing a speech, playing the words across his lips. I watched him as he stopped his pacing and took a step forward, then halt and start pacing again. I was almost sure he was an image. He was stepping forward to a tree.
“Do you see that guy over by the Dogwood tree?”
Landen followed my gaze. “What do you see?” he asked.
“A man preparing to give a speech to a tree.”
He erupted into laughter.
“What? Trees can be intimidating. That or he’s out of place just like I said he would be,” I thought as I raised my chin to drive home my point.
“Is the tree making him nervous?”
“Something is,” I thought.
“You’re sure he’s an image?” Landen asked as he continued searching the people on the streets.
“If I get closer to him then I’ll know for sure. The pull will be stronger,” I thought pulling him toward the man.
“What do you mean, ‘pull?’”
“The images pull me to them, then after I help them, they push me back to where I began.”
We started to walk closer to the young man. As we did, he stopped his pacing again, then stood in place and pulled a little box out of his pocket. I knew why he was nervous then. I started to walk faster. I could tell he was losing his nerve.
“Okay, you hold onto me. I’ll let go of him when it’s over.”
Landen tightly held my hand. The memory that I was going to use would be so powerful that this young man would have enough courage to last him for a lifetime. As I reached for his arm, the day shifted to evening, and the air had a gentle breeze. He was standing outside a quaint apartment building. I let the memory of seeing Landen outside my dreams for the first time come to me. The tension then left, and the young man took a deep breath and ran forward. I lost my touch.
Landen and I were back. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as happy for one of my images before.
I smiled up at Landen. “Well, how was that?” I thought, proud of myself.
Landen looked around to see if anyone had seen us come or go. Finding no one paying attention to us, he thought, “I believe you have me beat.”
“What? There’s no way—there was no wave or beautiful light.”
“Yes, there was. You just didn’t see it,” Landen thought, smiling.
What did he mean by that?
“You just crossed the string—you made a path. The pull you feel is the energy of the string,” he continued. “Look at where he was, remember the way you felt…do you see it?”
I could see. It was a wave, where one did not exist before. I took Landen’s hand and stepped through, not knowing if we’d be with the young man or back in the string. When I heard the hum and felt the current, though, I knew we were in the string.
“Look, do you see the green in the wall?” Landen asked. I looked to the right and saw the light green haze, the same size as me. Landen walked to the left side of the string and pointed out the twin image across from it. As I realized what he was saying, a grin came across my face.
Without warning, the hum of the string grew louder. The current was moving faster. Landen pulled me down to the ground and wrapped his arms and body around me. The energy filling the string vibrated through me. When I thought I couldn’t stand another moment, everything was still again. I rose in a daze, and a numbing feeling came over me. The walls of the string had changed, and my green haze was no longer there. We had moved.
“Did I do that?” I asked, afraid of what his answer might be.
“It was just a storm. They’re unpredictable.”
“Do you know where we are?”
Landen looked at the walls of the string. Once he found his place, a smile came across his face. “Well, we’re back, a little faster than I would’ve preferred,” he said reaching to help me up.
There was a light blue haze, and as we stepped through it, the river that ran alongside the cabin was in front of us.
As we walked toward the cabin, I felt all the vibe that I loved, the ones that only a family could give you.
Libby was running down the river path as fast as she could, excitement pouring from her. When she reached us, she leaped into Landen’s arms and reached across to pull me to them.
“You guys left me all day,” she said in her fake pout voice. “Did you take Willow to your castle?” she asked Landen. He lifted her above his head making her scream with laughter.
“Did you?” she said through her giggles.
“No, not yet but I will very soon. When I do, you get to come, too. How does that sound?”
“I get to live with you?”
Landen was starting to learn that nothing got past Libby.
“Well, you get to live close.”
“How close?” she pressured.
“Close enough that you can run there in less than a minute,” Landen said, setting her down. Libby seemed to be satisfied with his answer, and I was, too. I needed Libby close to me.
At the cabin, dinner was on the table. Marc had made it there safely.
The stories of all the places travelers had seen sent my imagination running wild. My eyes always found their way to Libby. She’d insisted on sitting in Landen’s lap for dinner; he didn’t seem to mind. I wondered what she’d filled her day with or if she’d picked up on her insight.
When Libby finished her dinner, she slid off Landen’s lap and went into the living room. Once there, she stretched out on the floor and began to color across one of my sketchpads. Landen and I stared at her as the others continued to reminisce.
“I wonder if she has a gift of art, too,” Landen thought.
“If she does, she’ll humble my talent.”
“Landen, do you agree that we should wait another day before we travel home?” Livingston asked pulling us from our private conversation.
Landen’s stare was still on Libby, “I don’t want to take any risks. We should wait for the storm that’s turning to pass.”
I could feel eagerness inside Livingston. If it were up to him, we’d be gone.
“I’m going to get Libby ready for bed,” I said, standing.
I wanted to spend some time alone with her, see if I could pick up on how well this insight of hers was developing, or at the very least let her know she could ask me about anything she thought was weird.
After she was ready for bed, I read her a story. I noticed that she was losing the excitement that I loved about her; it was as if she’d aged over th
e past few days.
“Libby, is there anything you want to talk about or ask me?” I whispered to her.
Her eyes found mine, and she searched my face. I could feel her running through different emotions: anxiety, a little fear, and then returning to the common thread of excitement. “I think I’m different,” she said in a quiet voice.
“You are different. Everyone is, and that’s what makes us all so unique.”
“Willow, I think that I am—I have—I can…” She was struggling to find the words. I felt her emotions rush, and I squeezed her tight.
“I know. Don’t worry about it. It’ll all make sense when you get older. Don’t rush it. You’ll find your way,” I said, playing with her long brown hair. I felt a calm come over her.
After she drifted off to sleep, I left her room. As I passed through the hallway to my room, I heard the discussion downstairs in full debate. I could still feel Livingston’s eagerness. I could also feel Landen’s frustration. It was obvious we weren’t going to get any answers that night. I climbed on my bed with my sketchpad in my hand, then turned to a blank page and stared, trying to decide what to draw first.
I sensed my mother. When I looked up, she was leaning in the doorway. She smiled warmly at me. She had her energy and excitement with her again.
“Can I come in?” she asked. I scooted over on the bed, making room for her to sit beside me.
“I can only imagine what sketches will come out of the day that you’ve had,” she said.
I grinned as it rushed through my mind. Mom saw the photo album on the table and grabbed it.
“Do you miss them?” she asked.
I nodded.
“What did you think of the string?”
“It was unbelievable, indescribable. It would change, the feelings, the colors, it all changed,” I answered in a rush.
“I wish I could see it,” she said, feeling envious.
I suddenly realized how scary only feeling it would be.
“So, Landen and you…” she said, shifting her emotion.
I felt myself blush. “Is everyone still shocked about us?” I asked, sitting up a little straighter.