Free Vindicate by Jamie Magee Page B

there , so I can fight for them. S o I won’t be trapped in Esterious.”
    “Good –g ood,” she said nervously . “Let’s get Chrispin.”
    I ignored her as I began to speed walk toward Infante. Other travelers were walking toward me, two young men. I felt their confusion as they passed by me and nodded. I also felt their intent to ask someone if I should be in there . I knew I didn’t have much time before someone would come looking for us. I didn’t care if anyone caught up with me ; I just didn’t have the time to turn back for them. I’d already wasted precious hours talking to Perodine and Stella – roaming the halls.
    “Willow?” Olivia said , keeping pace with me. “Seriously , do you know where you ’ re going?”
    “I do.”
    “Good . L et’s go get Chrispin . W e don’t know these people. W e don’t need to go there alone.”
    “Are you serious?!” I said , halting to glare at her. “You think I’m scared of them? Do you really think they could hurt me? Go get Chrispin if you want to. I’m going now . F or all I know , every second counts. I have to help them. I have to get them away from that girl.” Then I began to walk forward at a brisk pace again.
    “So much for altering your future,” she mumbled as she kept pace with me.
    “What’s that suppose d to mean?” I asked sarcastically . I mean what did they expect? For me to sit at Landen’s side and cry endlessly? No, I was going to fix this. If they were looking for a damsel in distressed they had another thing coming. I twirled my ring, slicing my skin with my nail just as the caged anger in my core started to grumble.
    “I don’t get why I dream things if I can’t change them.” Olivia hastily stated.
    “You dreamed this?”
    “I knew we ’ d be alone when we met them , ” s he said shortly.
    “Did you see them?”
    “Not clearly. D on’t worry , though, Brady will be right behind us.”
    I glanced back in the direction of the travelers that had passed us. “Yeah . T hey were going to tell them we were in here.”
    “He’s going to be mad . Ju st saying.”
    “Do you think I care?” I asked , glancing at her.
    “Yes and no . W hen they come for us , don’t be mad . It will scare these people. M aybe we can at least avoid that.”
    I felt the slightest bit guilty , but that passed w hen my determination to save Landen and Drake came over me. “Dream anything else?”
    “Only you trying to kill me . N o big deal , ” s he said in her familiar witty tone.
    I glanced down at her wrist , then elbowed her. “You have the tattoo . Y ou’re safe.”
    “One could hope. Felicity dreamed about the tattoo, too . D id you know that ? ”
    “I think I remember Brady mentioning it yesterday . H e said there wer e two other girls that had it. W hat’s up with that?”
    “I don’t know…but it can’t be good.”
    “For us or them?” I asked , having my doubts about charging into unknown territory.
    “From my dreams. Y ou’re the danger , not them.”
    Well that made me feel like a rock star. Not. I t was really irritating me that they were afraid of me. I was still Willow. A very tired and stressed out Willow. “I would never hurt you. A nyone.” I winced. “On purpose.”
    “No. Not on purpose,” she mumbled , looking behind us.
    I gritted my teeth and promised myself that when Olivia or anyone else was around me with that tattoo , I would think twice before I reacted. “The y’ re not in here yet,” I promised , knowing I didn’t feel the anger Brady was sure to have. I halfway hoped my father would be th e one that came looking for me. E ven though I knew I wasn’t that lucky.
    I slowed down as we approached Infante. I gazed forward as flashes of my dream came to me , Preston running though the passages. I remembered the hazes he passed and found my bearings . A few steps later , I saw a purple haze , and I knew I was close . W ith my next step , I saw the gray one with another purple passage a few