form of light now warmed her hand. She gently placed the ball into the girlâs small palm, letting her soak up its unique warmth. âIâll be here with you. No one can hurt you as long as Iâm here,â she assured her.
âIf I fight, he hurts me. Heâll hurt you too. Iâm scared, Amanda. You should leave before you canât. Once he took me I never could leave,â Kaedin said, letting the ball of light fade.
Abducted? Too many times scenes like these werenât abductions, but the childâs own family.
âHe took you?â she asked.
Kaedin nodded, then wiped her eyes.
âWell, you werenât his to take, letâs go tell him so.â
Her small hands covered her face, and she shook her head furiously.
âYouâre special and pretty and strong. Let me hear you say that,â Amanda said.
Kaedin obediently uncovered her tear streaked face. âIâm special and pretty and I am strong,â she repeated doubtfully.
âPeople love me,â Amanda prompted.
When Kaedin didnât repeat the words, Amanda looked over at her and cleared her throat. This made the child attempt a smile, though her face didnât seem used to the action.
âPeople love me,â Kaedin repeated.
Amanda reached over and squeezed her small hand. âI love you,â Amanda said with meaning.
âI love you,â Kaedin quickly said, making Amanda smile.
âNo, you donât have to repeat anymore,â she said.
âI wasnât repeating. I just love you. Ever since you walked through that wall, Iâve felt safe. Like maybe, he canât hurt me anymore. I never felt that way before,â the child said, looking up to her, though she couldnât see.
âAre you okay to stand up?â Amanda asked.
Kaedin jutted out her chin as if it were a rude question. âOf course I can stand up.â She squirmed off the bed quickly and stood next to Amanda. âNow what?â
âYou tell me. Youâre the boss here. What is it you want to do?â Amanda asked.
Kaedin thought for a moment. âWell I always wanted to scream just as loud as I could and not stop until Iâm just too tired to keep on screaming,â Kaedin said in a rush.
âOkay letâs do it together,â Amanda said, drawing in a breath.
âNo! No, no. Frank will hear and heâll come get us,â the spirit said frightfully.
Amanda closed her eyes and searched the Scar. She could feel Frank. He was strong, because Kaedinâs memories of him were so powerful, but she was more resilient than the mirage. He wouldnât be able to overpower her. She was so much tougher now, compared to when her first Scar had taken her. Of course, she had been barely more than a baby then.
Amanda concentrated harder and could feel the physical presence of the Demon hiding in shadows throughout the house. She opened her eyes and noticed her silence had frightened Kaedin.
âItâs all right, Iâm stronger than Frank. Remember, I have magic,â Amanda said.
âYouâll stop him from hurting me, right?â Kaedin asked grabbing hold of her hand.
âRight, Frank isnât stronger than the love I have for you,â Amanda told her.
Amanda knew Kaedin could feel her love, something the small child hadnât experienced in some time. So, she took in a deep gulp of air and started screaming at the top of her lungs, holding nothing back.
Immediately, Frank was at the other side of the door. âYou stop that. Stop it, or Iâll get the bat again!â he shouted.
He was fierce, but she kept him out of the room easily enough. The tormented spirit paused for a moment at his threat, and Amanda squeezed her hand in encouragement. Kaedin smiled at her and started shouting words that she had given her.
âI am special, I am strong!â she screamed.
Amanda could already see the change. She also sensed the Leach Demon growing
âIf I fight, he hurts me. Heâll hurt you too. Iâm scared, Amanda. You should leave before you canât. Once he took me I never could leave,â Kaedin said, letting the ball of light fade.
Abducted? Too many times scenes like these werenât abductions, but the childâs own family.
âHe took you?â she asked.
Kaedin nodded, then wiped her eyes.
âWell, you werenât his to take, letâs go tell him so.â
Her small hands covered her face, and she shook her head furiously.
âYouâre special and pretty and strong. Let me hear you say that,â Amanda said.
Kaedin obediently uncovered her tear streaked face. âIâm special and pretty and I am strong,â she repeated doubtfully.
âPeople love me,â Amanda prompted.
When Kaedin didnât repeat the words, Amanda looked over at her and cleared her throat. This made the child attempt a smile, though her face didnât seem used to the action.
âPeople love me,â Kaedin repeated.
Amanda reached over and squeezed her small hand. âI love you,â Amanda said with meaning.
âI love you,â Kaedin quickly said, making Amanda smile.
âNo, you donât have to repeat anymore,â she said.
âI wasnât repeating. I just love you. Ever since you walked through that wall, Iâve felt safe. Like maybe, he canât hurt me anymore. I never felt that way before,â the child said, looking up to her, though she couldnât see.
âAre you okay to stand up?â Amanda asked.
Kaedin jutted out her chin as if it were a rude question. âOf course I can stand up.â She squirmed off the bed quickly and stood next to Amanda. âNow what?â
âYou tell me. Youâre the boss here. What is it you want to do?â Amanda asked.
Kaedin thought for a moment. âWell I always wanted to scream just as loud as I could and not stop until Iâm just too tired to keep on screaming,â Kaedin said in a rush.
âOkay letâs do it together,â Amanda said, drawing in a breath.
âNo! No, no. Frank will hear and heâll come get us,â the spirit said frightfully.
Amanda closed her eyes and searched the Scar. She could feel Frank. He was strong, because Kaedinâs memories of him were so powerful, but she was more resilient than the mirage. He wouldnât be able to overpower her. She was so much tougher now, compared to when her first Scar had taken her. Of course, she had been barely more than a baby then.
Amanda concentrated harder and could feel the physical presence of the Demon hiding in shadows throughout the house. She opened her eyes and noticed her silence had frightened Kaedin.
âItâs all right, Iâm stronger than Frank. Remember, I have magic,â Amanda said.
âYouâll stop him from hurting me, right?â Kaedin asked grabbing hold of her hand.
âRight, Frank isnât stronger than the love I have for you,â Amanda told her.
Amanda knew Kaedin could feel her love, something the small child hadnât experienced in some time. So, she took in a deep gulp of air and started screaming at the top of her lungs, holding nothing back.
Immediately, Frank was at the other side of the door. âYou stop that. Stop it, or Iâll get the bat again!â he shouted.
He was fierce, but she kept him out of the room easily enough. The tormented spirit paused for a moment at his threat, and Amanda squeezed her hand in encouragement. Kaedin smiled at her and started shouting words that she had given her.
âI am special, I am strong!â she screamed.
Amanda could already see the change. She also sensed the Leach Demon growing
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