Shady

“That makes sense.” She nodded. “Comfort comes from the liv…” she hesitated, furrowing her brow as she realized she was saying this to a ghost. “…if you can’t see and ...

Ky nodded. “Gaius has mentioned… I think it upsets him I don’t want to go to the graveyard… it seems to… bring him peace… as much peace as Gaius has ...

Ky grimaced and nodded. “… I know Gaius seems to care for him a lot. Even though he was so small… maybe he just likes the idea of having a ...

Ky shivered and pulled her arms tighter around her legs.

Ky nodded in agreement. “He should have gotten him help. Not just fed him younger siblings and hit him sometimes. It’s obvious that didn’t work. From a young age.”

She grimaced. “Why is he so terrible? I don’t understand why anyone would do something like that…”

“I imagine so.” Ky nodded. “That’d be… traumatizing.”

Ky felt sick. She focused on her breathing and keeping her stomach in check. “That’s… awful.” She closed her eyes, but opened them again when her mind’s eye decided to ...

“I… know that Michael killed him and Tomhas saw… but not much else really. Just that Tomhas is upset.” She glanced at him. “…was there…?”

Talia forced herself to take a deep breath and nod, actively choosing to quell her anxiety. “…it’s very kind of you. Thank you.”

“… the Reeve’s son?”

Talia hesitated then nodded. “I-that’s very generous of you-I promise I wasn’t trying to…”

Ky nodded solemnly, still blushing a little.

Talia blushed profusely. “Oh I-I-I was just trying to be helpful, ma’am. You don’t need to pay me.” She shook her head. How terrible did this woman think she was? ...

“He tried to kill his siblings,” she said. “He did kill village girls. After he raped them. It’s horrific.”