irrefutable.
Silence came, and the stillness seemed just as eerie. I stretched out my senses; the emotions around us were still of victory and peace. Landen looked down at me and smiled.
“Looks like we hit a nerve,” Dane said, looking from shadow to shadow.
Chapter Six
August and Patrick came to the doorway. I could feel their abundant relief; they were unshaken. August smiled at Landen and patted his shoulder.
“Is everyone OK?” Landen asked, intending to heal whoever needed it.
“No one’s hurt. In fact, the ones that did come over the wall are staying here - almost a thousand more,” Patrick answered, grinning from ear to ear.
“Amazing,” I whispered. Landen looked down at me and smiled.
“We’re going to get through this now that we’re all working together,” August said, sighing and feeling relieved. He was proud of Landen. His relief did bring us some comfort, but it couldn’t hinder our anxieties of having Drake there.
Dane shook his head from side to side in disapproval; I knew he wasn’t looking forward to being in the same room with Drake for any length of time.
August sensed the tension between us and reached for Dane’s shoulder, then looked back at Landen. “I know there’s a lot to be resentful about. Forgiveness - or even a simple truce - is too much to ask of any of you, but you have to understand that Donalt is counting on that. We need to pull together to beat this monster, and when this is over...well...then maybe we can find a way to resolve the past.”
His tone was fully of sympathy and left me and Landen with a surge of guilt. Dane, however, held a different emotion. “I respect what you’re saying, August,” he said, leaning closer to me, “but I want you to see this through my eyes. When I was six, I saw terror in my best friend’s eyes; it was so strong, I felt it. It went on, happening once a month like clockwork, and she endured a fear that no one should have to. I couldn’t protect her - no one could. It’s going to take more than an angry ghost to get me to forgive Drake Blakeshire.” Dane looked at Landen and said, “I know you have even more than me to disagree with – so if you tell me you want me to let it go for now, then I will.”
August stared at Landen while holding the emotion of pride and confidence; in his subtle way, he demanded a peaceful compliance from us. Landen let his eyes fall to the floor. I could feel his emotions turning inside of him; he wasn’t ready to forgive Drake either, but his desire to protect and help the people of Esterious outweighed the anger that wanted to surface.
“We’ll treat Drake with as much respect as he gives us,” he said, looking up at August.
August nodded. “That’s all I need to hear,” he said with a sigh.
Perodine approached the doorway. Oddly, she’d changed her clothes; she was now in a black formal gown, and her hair was set perfectly on her head. Jewels decorated her neck and wrist, and she looked the same as she did the first time I saw her: like royalty. On the surface, she was calm and reserved, but inside I could still feel her emotions swarming in every direction.
“I fear your trail will begin when they return,” she said.
She handed me a change of clothes; I’d forgotten that I still had Drake’s blood all over my shirt. She then walked past us to the table and began searching over her notes. Landen walked to her side, studying her, and she looked up at him as he reached the table.
“Is it Alamos or Drake that’s concerning you?” he asked.
Suddenly realizing that there was something odd about Perodine, August walked to Landen’s side.
“Before retrieving Willow a few days ago, I hadn’t been in a room with Alamos for close to four million years,” Perodine answered quietly. Landen and August looked at one another, questioning the words she’d said. I knew she was telling the
Silence came, and the stillness seemed just as eerie. I stretched out my senses; the emotions around us were still of victory and peace. Landen looked down at me and smiled.
“Looks like we hit a nerve,” Dane said, looking from shadow to shadow.
Chapter Six
August and Patrick came to the doorway. I could feel their abundant relief; they were unshaken. August smiled at Landen and patted his shoulder.
“Is everyone OK?” Landen asked, intending to heal whoever needed it.
“No one’s hurt. In fact, the ones that did come over the wall are staying here - almost a thousand more,” Patrick answered, grinning from ear to ear.
“Amazing,” I whispered. Landen looked down at me and smiled.
“We’re going to get through this now that we’re all working together,” August said, sighing and feeling relieved. He was proud of Landen. His relief did bring us some comfort, but it couldn’t hinder our anxieties of having Drake there.
Dane shook his head from side to side in disapproval; I knew he wasn’t looking forward to being in the same room with Drake for any length of time.
August sensed the tension between us and reached for Dane’s shoulder, then looked back at Landen. “I know there’s a lot to be resentful about. Forgiveness - or even a simple truce - is too much to ask of any of you, but you have to understand that Donalt is counting on that. We need to pull together to beat this monster, and when this is over...well...then maybe we can find a way to resolve the past.”
His tone was fully of sympathy and left me and Landen with a surge of guilt. Dane, however, held a different emotion. “I respect what you’re saying, August,” he said, leaning closer to me, “but I want you to see this through my eyes. When I was six, I saw terror in my best friend’s eyes; it was so strong, I felt it. It went on, happening once a month like clockwork, and she endured a fear that no one should have to. I couldn’t protect her - no one could. It’s going to take more than an angry ghost to get me to forgive Drake Blakeshire.” Dane looked at Landen and said, “I know you have even more than me to disagree with – so if you tell me you want me to let it go for now, then I will.”
August stared at Landen while holding the emotion of pride and confidence; in his subtle way, he demanded a peaceful compliance from us. Landen let his eyes fall to the floor. I could feel his emotions turning inside of him; he wasn’t ready to forgive Drake either, but his desire to protect and help the people of Esterious outweighed the anger that wanted to surface.
“We’ll treat Drake with as much respect as he gives us,” he said, looking up at August.
August nodded. “That’s all I need to hear,” he said with a sigh.
Perodine approached the doorway. Oddly, she’d changed her clothes; she was now in a black formal gown, and her hair was set perfectly on her head. Jewels decorated her neck and wrist, and she looked the same as she did the first time I saw her: like royalty. On the surface, she was calm and reserved, but inside I could still feel her emotions swarming in every direction.
“I fear your trail will begin when they return,” she said.
She handed me a change of clothes; I’d forgotten that I still had Drake’s blood all over my shirt. She then walked past us to the table and began searching over her notes. Landen walked to her side, studying her, and she looked up at him as he reached the table.
“Is it Alamos or Drake that’s concerning you?” he asked.
Suddenly realizing that there was something odd about Perodine, August walked to Landen’s side.
“Before retrieving Willow a few days ago, I hadn’t been in a room with Alamos for close to four million years,” Perodine answered quietly. Landen and August looked at one another, questioning the words she’d said. I knew she was telling the
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