Vindicate (20 page)

Madison was standing there. All alone. Staring at the closed drapes around the bed. I could see the curiosity in her eyes and wanted more than anyth ing to feel her emotions. T
o know if she felt Drake ’s soul just feet away from her.

I felt an immediate hope rise in my father as he slowly walked to her side. “I don’t believe we have met , ”
m y father said peacefully. Madison tried to smile , but her nerves would not let her. “I’m Jason, Willow’s father – and your name?”

“Madison , ”
s he said quietly , catching Alamos ’
eyes as he walked in a stunned trance to her.

“Where does your sun lie?” Alamos asked humbly.

“She’s a Scorpio , ” I answered for Madison.

Madison walked toward me and stopped at the foot of the bed. She was standing in front of Drake’s body , and I was standing in front of Landen’s . T
hough they could not be seen , I was sure she felt something. Her olive skin blushed as she locked eyes with me. “How intensely do you feel emotions?” she asked me.

“Very.”

“Do you see them or feel them?” she asked , looking all around me.

“Feel. S
ometimes I see them in someone’s energy . Y
ou?”

With my question , I felt the astonishment rise in the room.

“I see it first , ”
s he said quietly , looking at the drape to her left.

“What do you see right now?” I asked .

“Love,” she said with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

“
We are meant to love everyone. Y
ou should see that , ” I said , trying to apologize for what she may or may not be feeling from Drake’s direction.

“True…yet sometimes we love someone so much that we cannot see anyone else , ”
s he replied , obviously getting more comfortable with me.

“I thi nk we do that to fill the void. U
ntil the person we are meant to be with comes into our life…at that moment , that love is shifted – we feel it for everything – gratitude for having felt it at all.”

She moved her head from side to side , holding in a smirk. “I don’t see it that way.”

Alamos stepped in front of me to see Madison more clearly. “When is your birthday ? H
ow old are you?”

She looked at him like he was insane as she tried to figure out why that would matter. “I’ll be nineteen on the nineteenth of this month , ”
s he answered.

“Of November?” I asked bleakly.

She nodded to confirm.

“What day is it at your home?” Alamos asked with wide eyes.

Madison looked at Draven. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “The twelfth.”

Alamos looked down and moved his head from side to side , trying to hold in his frustration.

“So.
” I said quietly. “How does that help our timeline?”

“It doesn’t , ” Alamos said shortly. “At this point , the sky we are studying is an illusion – it will be different no m atter what dimension you go in. W
hat was once a be acon of hope is now an illusion.
I can’t predict anything anymore.”

“I guess that means you didn’t see us coming , ” Madison said , slightly amused.

Alamos didn’t take it as a humorous statement. “I didn’t. B
ut she did , ”
h e said , looking at me.

On the inside I was grinning. On the verge of making up some little taunting song with the lyrics ‘I told you so.’ Now, Alamos, tell me I’m meant to love Drake. Tell me it’s my fault his life is in jeopardy. Tell me that I was wrong. Dare ya.

“And how did you do that?” Draven asked with the slightest bit of hope that it would be easier to teach me to see than he thought.

“Gut feeling,” I mumbled , to o anxious to point out that Madison was the next Queen of Esterious.

Madison had caught my father’s stare. At first I thought he was looking over her to see how healthy she was, or to convince himself that I was right this entire time.

“You know my family,” Madison said warmly as a sense of recognition and relief washed over her face. “I’ve seen photos of you at my house with my parents.”

“Do I?”
m y father asked. “What is their name?”

“Blair , ” Madison answered .

“John Blair?” my father asked as what I thought was panic rushed through him. Madison must have felt it , to o, because she furrowed her eyebrows to question him.

“That’s right , ” Madison said as she focused her eyes.
I assumed to see him more clearly. A second later , she stepped back in what looked like shock.

“What is it , Jason?” Alamos asked quickly.

My father was speechless as she looked from me to Madison.

“Somebody say something , ” I said , looking from him to Madison.

“Your father delivered Madison , ” Draven answered with a confidence that could not be argued with.

“You did?” I asked with wide eyes.

He nodded.
“And her father delivered you. A lmost simultaneously.”

“What?!” Alamos and I said at the same time.

My father cleared his throat. “We , um…there was a medical convention in Washington– I didn’t want to go that close to your mother ’
s due date , but she insisted that she wanted to travel – she knew no matter what , I would protect her health.” He paused taking in the memory. “
T
here was a snowstorm. T
he worst one in years…and as luck would have it , your mother went into labor…and Bla ir followed a few hours later.
There was no way for us to make it to a hospital…
so John and I , along with the other doctors there , prepar ed to deliver our first child. N
one of us there practiced this field.
I was the one with the most understanding of it, so I shifted back and forth between Mrs. Blair and Grace.
Neither of them were due at that time, both weeks away. Willow had turned almost instantly , but – Madison was breach.
I could see that. I knew which way I needed to turn her. I knew if I didn’t , the cord would suffocate her.
”
My father locked eyes with me , and I felt his bliss. “The moment I turned Madison – I heard you cry – it was – it was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard.”

“How many minutes apart, Jason?” Alamos asked urgently .

“Seconds. M
inutes . No one was looking at the clock. W
e were in an emergency situation.”

I had heard this story before . E
very year on my birthday. I knew about the snow – about another woman. I heard my mother tease him that he could handle anything but delivering his own child. I had no idea he was saving another life.

“How is your father?”
m y dad asked .

“Busy,” Madison said , as she stared at him . “Thank – thank you,” she said humbly.

My father nodded once as he smiled. “I lost touch with Joh n years back.” He looked at me.
“
I guess I’m regretting that now.”

“Seconds or minutes?” Alamos asked again .

“Willow was born fi rst.
John cleared her airway and made her cry just as Madison was born. I t was not the same second , ”
m y father said to reassure him.

“Sixty -
seven seconds apart , ” Draven answered.

“How c er t a in are you?” Alamos asked .

“Very – clock on the wall , ” Draven answered , showing us all how vividly he could see our past.

“That’s close enough for them to be perceived celestial twins. Y
ou realize that , right?” Alamos asked my dad.

“What does that mean?” I asked quickly.

“Celestial twins are born at the same moment – life events occur simultaneously - including death , ” Alamos answered .

“It has to be the same moment. T
he y’
re a m inute and seven seconds apart. T
hat’s a lifetime , ”
m y father said to calm the room.

“Regardless – we have no choice but to protect her life if we are going to protect Willow’s , ” Alamos argued .

“And wh y would my life be in danger?”
Madison asked shortly.

“Let’s just say that looking like Willow does not serve you well when it comes to the enemies that are in the court , ” Alamos said as he looked to the doorway. “Which reminds me , w e have a meeting with them now. W
here is Marc?”

“Coming down the hall , ” I said as I focused on his emotion of frustration and disdain.

“You need to cancel that meeting,” Draven said , looking over Alamos.

“You again , ” Alamos said in disgust.

He smirked , finding joy in irritating him. “Drake never had plans to speak with anyone – they’re tricking you. Y
ou show up , and they will know you are mocking a life that we are fighting for.”

“Why should I believe you? I have no idea what Drake did or said when I was not around.”

“I do,” Draven said confidently. “He never speaks to anyone without you at his side –he just stares at them coldly. L
ooking fearless.”

“He’s speaking the truth,” I said to Alamos , knowing that Draven had just stopped us from walking into a trap.

“Well,” Alamos said , letting out a deep breath. “That will make Marc happy.”

“What will?” Marc said as he walked into the room hearing his name.

Madison turned at the sound of a new voice. Marc stared at her with wide eyes , then looked at me. On instinct , my father stepped forward just as Madison’s knees buckled beneath her. I was instantly at her side , and my father turned her so he could see her. “Breath e...
focus on my voice , ”
m y father said as he began to count slowly.

I put my hands on Madison and thought of each time a numbing calm had been given to me. She took in a deep breath and locked her green eyes with mine. “It’s not him…he’s not the one in your dreams , ” I whispered.

Madison gained her balance , then stood and looked at the bed covered in drapes , then to Draven , who was staring intently at her – expecting her to be angry.

“This –t his is what you are hiding ? T
his is why I can’t see them?! You led me blindly here!” she yelled in his direction.

“Charlie told you to stay , ” Draven said remorsefully .

“Like I would have stayed! You could have told me!”
s he said coldly as she ran from the room , p ushing past Marc , refusing to look at him again.

“What did I do?” Marc ask ed , in a bemused tone .

“You look like your brother,” I said as I chased after Madison.

She ran down th e hallway toward the study.
Charlie and Aden were walking our way with Brady just behind them. Charlie tried to stop Madison , but she pushed past them.

“Let me handle this , ” I said to Charlie.

She had the immediate intent to ignore me and follow Madison , but Aden held her back. I ran past th em as she struggled against him . Brady was right at my side.

“Leave us alone , Brady. Figure out how to see!
” I yelled over my shoulder.

Madison ran all the way through the study ; instead of going down the steps that were just outside the hallway , she ran to the observatory. I assumed she would turn back when she discovered the dead end she’d found herself in , but she didn’t. I ran the last few steps between us , and when I reached the observatory , I found her on h er knees , staring into thin air.

The conversation I feared most was about to begin. I’d often thought of what I would say to the girl that Drake was destined to love. W
hat I would apologize for. W
hat I would say to make her see that nothing between us was as powerful as how they would feel for each other. I had fears, too. Ones that told me she could be the ‘bad’ soul mate for Landen – ones that told me that I could not undo the damage that w as already done. That this fate of choice we were all fighting had led us blindly in the wrong direction.

I walked quietly to her side and knelt down by her. I reached my arm around her and offered as much peace and calm that I could afford.

We didn ’t speak for countless minutes then she took a deep breath and glanced to her side at me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“For what?” she said, pulling slightly away, causing my arm to fall from around her.

“For whatever I’v e done to make you not like me. T
rust me.”

“I trust you. L
ike you,” she said as she rubbed her hands across her face. “But I don’t trust this place. I want to end this and go home.”

I stared back at her for countless seconds, looking for the perfect words. “What if this is your home now?” I asked quietly.

“I can’t survive here,” she mumbled.

“The emotions?” I asked.

She moved her head from side to side. “The reality…it’s suffocating.”