Insight

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Just before opening the door, we hesitated, staring at each other, both pushing the fear as far away from us as possible. Landen cradled my face with his hand, his blue eyes searching deep in mine.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

I nodded.

He leaned in; let his lips brush against mine, I sighed on contact and leaned up so our lips would meld together. "We've already won," I whispered as our kiss broke.

Beside the string, Brady and Marc stood, waiting for us in the full moon light.

"You're not going with us," Landen said as we approached them.

Their resolve was apparent, and we knew their intent was to leave with us no matter what we said to discourage them.

"We're supposed to go," Marc said, crossing his arms with a stubborn expression across his face.

"Libby told us," Brady said, stepping closer to the string to lead us in. His overwhelming calm was unsettling.

"Libby told you what?" I asked, wondering what part we were all about to play.

"She came to me, and then Marc, and said we needed to go to the string and wait for you," Brady explained as he put his hand on my shoulder. "She seemed calm. I think we'll all be okay."

Landen reached for my waist and pulled me to him, and Brady lost his touch. He stared at Landen as if he had no choice but to go with us, but Landen looked at Brady and shook his head no.

"This has nothing to do with you, Brady. Go home. Felicity needs you." Landen moved his attention to Marc, and I could feel him becoming consumed with gratitude and sympathy. "Marc, you're wrong. You need to find the one made for you."

"We are going with you," Brady said calmly.

Landen looked at the ground. "Where does Felicity think you are?"

"She thinks I'm helping someone, now can we please go?" Brady bit out.

"No one else knows, you're sure?" Landen clarified, looking at Brady.

"We didn't tell anyone," Brady assured Landen by letting him hear the truth in his words.

Brady made his way to the string opening, and Marc followed. Landen sighed deeply as his eyes made their way to the full moon that seemed to engulf the sky. I gently pulled his hand, and we stepped in the string.

Landen took the lead, turning into the passage with the waterfall, hoping that when they saw that we were walking directly into the palace, they'd hear our pleas to go home. Once past the waterfall, we stepped cautiously into the dark forest. Brady and Marc kept their resolve, and no fear came from them.

Landen turned and looked at them. "Listen, I don't know what's in there or who could be waiting. Our purpose is to pull the page from the book on the altar, which has the words that will heal Hannah and Jessica," Landen explained.

"How are you going to know what page? Why not take the whole book?" Marc protested.

"Libby said the page. If we can take the book, we will," Landen said.

"What about the star?" Marc asked.

"For another day. Tonight, we need to find the cure for the girls," Landen said, looking at both of them. "This is your last chance to turn around, this is not your fight."

"Show us the way, Landen. We're going with you," Brady said as his eyes searched the darkness, looking for my passage.

Landen's sorrow was immediate, but he knew that Brady would follow him one way or another, and he'd rather have him by his side.