“Drake can prevent war,” I said shortly.
“Drake brings nothing but destruction,” Dane said in an angry tone.
Drake took a dominant step in Dane’s direction, but Landen held him back. Marc then pushed Dane out of the room, and Clarissa followed, shaking her head at me in disgust. When Dane was out of sight, Drake let the tension in his body release, then stared into Landen’s eyes as is if he were trying to give him a guarded message.
Alamos looked sympathetically out the window. “I’m afraid, my dear, that he’ll have no choice but to evoke it,” he said.
Drake broke his stare with Landen and looked at Alamos. “I will not evoke war - I will cause the world to fear this city.”
“They will not fear it; it’s nothing compared to the mass outside the walls,” Alamos said.
“They fear the demented, and in their eyes Delen is just that,” Drake argued.
“Yes, and they will destroy it just to give them peace of mind,” Alamos said.
“We must give them reason to believe that they cannot destroy it,” Perodine said. I felt her excitement and relief as she took ownership of the path I’d chosen.
The room was still; each of us were lost in own thoughts, what we thought would be enough to terrify an entire world. Brady looked to the window, then to Landen. “Do you think you can lift that wall – push it back?” he asked.
Landen looked down at me, then to Drake; we’d never moved something so enormous.
Alamos looked over his shoulder at the wall, then to Drake. “Drake, Willow, and Landen could,” he said.
I felt an excitement rise in the room as we all looked at one another.
“If you lift that wall, that would give them enough fear to buy us time,” Perodine said.
“Hold on,” Alamos said. “Drake can’t be seen helping Landen.”
“Then we’ll do it by nightfall,” Drake said.
“Do you not realize that they’re watching your every move? Someone will realize that you were missing at the moment the wall was moved,” Alamos said.
My eyes looked to the doorway through which Marc had just left. Drake looked at me and smiled slightly; he had the same thought I had: Marc could pose as Drake.
“We’ll do this tonight. Marc will stay in my chambers with you and my mother at his side. Once the wall is moved, Landen and I will stop time. I’ll be back before they alert me that Delen is attacking.”
“And what if you’re not back in time? What if they choose to speak to you about a different matter?” Alamos argued.
“I’m sure you’ll think of something; we’re only talking about moments,” Drake said.
“I’m going to get some of your clothes for Marc,” Perodine said, leaving the room.
I looked at Drake. I knew if the chamber were dark enough, if the priest didn’t come close enough, they’d be convinced.
I could feel the immediate intent of Dane and Clarissa - they were leaving. I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus if I thought for a moment that I hurt them.
I began to walk to the doorway, and Landen stepped closer to me and reached for my hand. “I don’t want you around him without me,” he thought.
“Then come,” I thought, pulling his hand to the doorway.
Landen looked at Brady and asked him to follow us. Chrispin began to follow us, but August reached his arm out, telling him to stay.
In the hallway, we found Marc trying to reason with Dane and Clarissa; their violent whispers halted when they saw us.
“Marc, I need your help,” Landen said. Marc nodded, and Landen tilted his head toward the study. “They’ll explain,” Landen said.
Without hesitation, Marc returned to the study. Dane crossed his arms across his chest, and Clarissa refused to look any of us in the eye.
“It seems we’re not needed here...we’re leaving,” Dane said.
I felt Landen suppressing the anger he felt for Dane. He pulled me closer to his side and stared at Dane.
I looked at Dane. “Dane, you crossed a line. What I need from my family and friends is trust - not doubt. I’m not choosing between the two of you and Olivia and Chrispin; I’m simply listening to my soul...you have to trust me,” I said.
Dane’s jaw tightened, and he took in a deep breath. “The devil has a way of dancing in your mind, a way of changing your perception – and right now you’re playing the part of a fool,” he said as he leaned forward and locked eyes with me. I could understand what had happened to him; I’ve never known this person staring back at me – which was terrifying. Landen held me tighter as he leaned forward, breaking Dane’s stare.
“Dane,” Brady said, “I don’t know how Landen is remaining as calm as he is – because if you’d even thought of touching Felicity that way, I would have killed you.”
“I think Dane’s right: all of you are blind to the devil in there,” Clarissa said in support of Dane. “You can’t even see that Drake is right where he wants to be - with Willow.”
Landen looked at Clarissa. “Last time I checked, I was the only one that could read Drake’s intent,” he said calmly.
“You know what? I don’t even care anymore. I’m leaving,” Clarissa said.
“I’m not going to stop you,” Landen promised. “I think you’re too close to all of this; you both need a break.”
Clarissa looked at me, wanting me to stop them and send Olivia and Chrispin away.
“I love the both of you,” I said, catching Dane’s stare. “We all do – and I refuse to choose between people I love. I think a break would be good. I promise when this is over, you’ll see that my intent led my path to peace.”
Dane reached for Clarissa’s hand and pulled her toward the stairs. It broke my heart to see them walk away, but the tension in all the energy around us was finally leaving, and I knew this was best for now.
Brady looked at Landen and said, “I promise next time I’ll make sure I’m closer to her when you’re gone. I had no idea they were planning that.”
“They hid it well,” Landen said in a harsh tone.
He pulled me closer to him, then we turned and went back into the study. Marc and Drake were standing side by side in the center of the room. I looked between them with growing confidence that Marc would most definitely pass for Drake, even at a slight distance. I gently let go of Landen’s hand and went to the table to retrieve a black pen. I then nodded my head for them to come to my side. Drake smiled slightly, then unbuttoned his cuff and rolled his sleeve up - revealing the dragon covered by the willow tree as he made his way to me. Marc looked curiously at me, and I reached for his arm; understanding then came to him.
Alamos looked up from the scroll to see what I was doing. When he saw me begin to outline the long dragon, he stepped closer to me. “You are a brilliant young woman,” he said, “They’ll have no doubt if they see this mark on him.”
Marc extended his right arm so I could reach him. “Did Dane go home?” he whispered.
“They left, but their intent wasn’t to go home; they were going somewhere to be alone,” I answered, not looking up.
I could see the tension leave Drake’s body, and Marc looked at him as he sensed it. Marc’s eyes then moved across the room and found Olivia; she was sitting calmly on the couch in Chrispin’s arms. I hated the crack that was appearing in our picture perfect family, but I knew it would heal itself in time. Dane just needed to cool off, and I knew once he was alone somewhere with Clarissa he’d see how brash his actions were and undoubtedly would ask for my forgiveness - even though I’d already forgiven him.
I began to add in the details of the willow tree on top of the dragon - which I’d seen in every nightmare since I was a child. While I was working, I seldomly glanced to Drake’s arm, only to make sure I was remembering it clearly. The head of the dragon started below the wrist, and the body stretched to the crease of the elbow. Its body twisted into an S-like shape, and small spikes lined its back. The willow tree was a vauge mask to the eerier imag
e beneath it.
Alamos let his hand rest on Drake’s shoulder. “This act will weaken you; you must begin to recall the memories that will give you the strength you need to make it back to the estate,” he said to Drake.
Drake’s eyes moved to mine; I could see his determination.
Alamos looked at August. “They’ll be weak as well, so you must guide them home so they can regain their strength,” he said.
I looked away from Drake and began to fill in the last details of the willow tree. Perodine returned, and Nyla and Beth were with her; I felt their relief with our solution.
I checked my work once more before releasing Marc’s arm. “Let it dry for a moment, and be careful when you change,” I said to him.
“Willow, come with me for a moment,” Landen thought.
I turned to see that he was still standing near the doorway. I turned back, glanced between Marc and Dane once more, then went to Landen’s side.
“We’ll be right back,” Landen said to the room.
Landen put his arm around me and led me down the hall. We stopped in the first room, and he closed the door behind him. I felt his calm, but I also knew he thought what he was going to say would make me angry. As my eyes questioned him, he came to my side and gently wrapped his arms around my waist.
“I’m going to ask you to do something. If you refuse, I understand...I’m only asking because I’m concerned about Drake making it back safely – to protect Marc from being discovered as an impostor.” I didn’t say anything; I just waited for him to go on.
“One of the things Drake wanted to talk to me about was when he moved his energy inside of you,” Landen thought, raising his eyebrows.
I felt my stomach suddenly tie into knots. I hadn’t had a chance to feel guilty for that act – and now it was washing me away.
Landen let his lips rest on my forehead and held me as tight as he could; I felt a numbing calm come from him. “I’m not angry, and I’m not jealous – I’m relieved, “he thought.
I leaned back and looked at him as if he were insane.
“I’m relieved because Drake was wrong: we don’t find our strength from the same place; I find it in your soul, and he finds it in your energy.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When we’re one, we both feel empowered; when it’s over, our strength is renewed. Drake said he only moved in for a second, and it drained you - meaning he can’t restore you...only I can.”
“It’s because you and I are one and I love you,” I said, wiping away a stray tear.
“I love you,” he thought.
“I don’t understand...what are you asking me to do?”
“After we move that wall, I’ll be surprised if he’s able to stand. I’m asking you to give him what strength you can, then I’ll carry you home and we’ll restore ourselves.”
“This feels wrong,” I thought, looking away from him.
Landen turned my head gently and let his hand fall to rest on my chest. His eyes settled deep in mine.
“We’re cheating the devil; it’s the last thing that demon would expect me to ask you to do,” Landen thought.
I raised my hand to rest on his. I knew he honestly believed that we’d stumbled onto a hidden power, that with my heart I could empower the ones that would bring an end to the demon that had lived inside of Donalt for so long.
“You are the power. I fear if you don’t restore him, even if he made it back – he’d be too weak to act as they’d expect him to. I understand that this is your body, your energy, your choice; I’m only encouraging you to save lives.”
I looked down and took a deep breath. Landen gently raised my head so I’d have to look into his perfect blue eyes.
“If I have the strength, I’ll help him,“ I thought.
A small smile came to his face, just barely showing his dimples. He pulled me to him and kissed me passionately, and I held him as tight as I could and let him feel my love and passion for him. He released me slowly, then took my hand and began to lead me back to the study. As I felt the emotions of the room, I remembered the doubt Dane and Clarissa had for me.
“No one will understand why I’m doing this. It’ll only give them reason to doubt the way I feel about you,” I thought.
“They won’t know; when we stop time, that’s when you’ll help. This is a secret that’ll stay between us and Drake.”
“You trust him?” I asked.
“I’ll pull him aside, and if he gives me any reason to doubt him, I’ll tell you. He honestly wants to redeem this dimension.”
As we stepped into the study, I wrapped my arm around his waist and leaned into him. In the distance, I felt my father and Ashten. I looked up at Landen, and he was questioning why they were there as well. We stepped inside the study. Alamos and August were at the window with Drake, discussing the wall. The others had left the room. Our fathers came through the opposite doorway; I could feel they were anxious about being there. Ashten surveyed the room, then looked at Landen.
“Preston told us to come. He said you needed our help,” Ashten explained.
Drake turned at the sound of a new voice, then moved his head from side to side. “I just wish sometimes he’d tell me what he knows in the first place, save time and energy,” he said.
I smiled, slightly understanding his frustration. Alamos put his hand on Drake’s shoulder. “The children can only navigate through the choices you make. You had to decide to do this before they could send help,” Alamos explained.
My father walked in my direction. As he approached, I saw him survey my body. “Did something happen?” he asked me.
I didn’t want to lie to my father, but I didn’t want to tell him that Drake had drained me either.
“It’s just been an emotional evening,” Landen answered, protecting me from having to lie.
My father nodded. Landen looked at Drake and nodded his head, telling him to come with him; unwavering, Drake followed Landen out of the room. August then called our fathers to the table to explain our plan.
Alamos extended his arm, telling me to come to his side. When I reached him, he smiled at me, then looked to the wall. My eyes followed his. “I want you to study every part of this wall that you can see,” he said.
My eyes moved across the wall. It was just as tall as I was. The stones were close to four feet in width, and it was shaped into a half circle. It looked enormous.
“Now I want you to see it as a gray cloud, weightless, diminutive,” he said. I focused again on the wall and let my mind make the stones look like pillows, then I turned them into innocent rain clouds.
“Do you see it that way now?” Alamos asked me. I nodded. “Hold that image. Even when you step away from this window, in your mind see it in that manner.”
“How am I going to lift it? I can’t do the things Landen and Drake can; I don’t have control like they do.”
Alamos chuckled quietly. “I’d say that you’re stronger than the two of them combined,” he said, smiling proudly at me.
As I stared at the wall, I blushed slightly.
“You must see your energy as a force. When the moment comes, you’ll take your energy and push it forward with your mind. Do not release it. When it reaches the wall, you’ll then raise your energy and push back again.”
“With my mind,” I said, sighing.
“The mind is powerful; it can create or destroy anything we wish it to,” Alamos said.
“How far can we move it?”
“If you were walking on the ground, you could take it as far as you wish. For your safety, you’ll be on the roof of the palace. You should be able to move it until it leaves your sight.”
“I’m afraid it’ll crumble, hurt the ones beneath it,” I said, looking at the workers around the wall.
“Your energy will hold it together when it’s in the air. When you set it down, some stones may fall. I wouldn’t raise it more than six feet in the air. The workers will scatter as it begins to move, b
ut I don’t think you’ll bring them any harm.”
I looked to my side at him. “Are you having a change of heart? I thought, in your opinion, that I brought destruction,” I said quietly.
Alamos looked down, took in a breath, then looked up at me. “I yearn for the day that my soul will rise above this life, the day that I can look back over the chapters of my time and understand why we’re all put through so much turmoil.”