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“You two are out of control,” Brady said, pulling Clarissa’s arms away from him and reaching for me. “If Landen sees this, the two of you will be on the other side of the universe with one push of his anger.”

I felt Landen rushing in my direction as arguments erupted all around me. I closed my eyes and focused on my energy, making it as solid as I could as I flung myself out of Dane’s arms and suspended myself in mid-air - just out of reach of his powerful long arms.

“If I were you, I’d back away; she’s barely using the power her energy has,” Alamos said. I looked at him to see an intriguing smile across his aged face.

Marc pushed Dane back, and Clarissa glared up at me. Olivia shook her head with disgust; she felt for them. Perodine nodded for me to come down, and I slowly lowered myself. She then walked cautiously to where I landed. Her green eyes sparkled, and anticipation consumed her.

August walked to my side, guarding Dane and Clarissa’s sight from me. He then held his hand up, telling Chrispin to remain calm. As I felt Landen just feet away, I let my shield of energy fall.

“I can see the resolve in your expression; what did you decide?” Perodine asked.

My eyes looked to the table where Alamos was standing. “Drake will prove to the court that he’s not weak by executing those who chose to know me,” I said, feeling the horrified gaze of my family. “By ‘executing,’ I mean he’ll push them into the string, and Landen and I will retrieve them.”

“Absolute genius,” August said under his breath.

Alamos looked past me, and I followed his eyes to see Drake and Landen standing just inside the doorway. Rage was in Drake’s eyes; meanwhile, a disbelieving anger was consuming Landen as he stared at his sister, Clarissa.

“And where do you intend on taking them? Into a city that will be overcome by war?” Alamos said, clearly not fond of our solution.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

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.”

“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 image 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.