Comfort and questions

Kael considers his options for a moment, then slides out of bed. Evie was distraught, it wouldn’t be right to let her suffer, after she tried to help him. Besides, it’s not like she did anything wrong. Even if she did read his mind, Kael has no real skeletons to hide.

He steps into the hall, coming up to Evie’s closed door. As he gently knocks, he can hear her quietly crying within. Getting no answer to his knock, he slowly opens the door.

Evie is face down on the bed, crying into the pillow. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Kael can’t help but look at her smooth legs, mostly bare from her nightshirt riding up. He tears his eyes away, internally scolding himself for eyeing her when she’s **** like this.

He sits down on the edge of her bed, cautiously reaching out to touch her shoulder. Evie flinches slightly, but doesn’t move away. Kael simply rests his hand on her for a moment.

“Evie? Are you ok? You don’t need to be sorry, or worried. Everything is fine.”

She lifts her head, looking over at Kael. “It’s not, master! I was told never to use this power, that invading a mind is evil! But I didn’t mean to, I swear! I just…I wanted to do something nice for you.”

She looks away. “You’ve been so kind, so giving. And the way you looked at me today, master. It felt…good. You don’t look at me like an object, master. Like a thing. You treat me like…like a real person.”

Kael gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Because you are.”

Evie sniffles, wiping her eyes. She slowly sits up, sliding over to sit beside him. “I know how you feel, master. I saw your thoughts. That’s what makes this so bad. You’re…too kind, master. You don’t deserve to have someone like me in your head.”

Kael sighs, and puts an arm around her. Evie stiffens, then relaxes, letting herself be pulled closer. He gently rubs her arm, feeling her soft skin beneath his calloused fingers. She sighs, and then rests her head against his shoulder.

“Why don’t you tell me what happened? What were you trying to do?”

Evie closes her eyes, then speaks. “My powers affect the mind, master. They can only be used on willing people, or at least that’s how I understand it. But once I have permission, there’s nothing that can stop it.”

She takes a deep breath. “I can heighten or dull emotions, at a surface level, master. That’s what I was trying to do, dull your guilt. But your mind…it pulled me. I’ve never felt like that, master. It was like your thoughts pulled me in and I could read you like a book.”

She shivers. “Everything from the past few days poured into my head. It was like I lived your life, master. I felt it as if I was there, as if I were you.”

Kael pauses. “So, you know everything I’ve done and thought over the past few days?”

Evie sighs. “Yes, master.”

Kael hesitates. “I…see. Well, we have no secrets then, I suppose. Or at least I don’t.”

She looks up at him. “No secrets, master. And…I thank you. For everything. Including your thoughts.”

Kael shakes his head. “Where did this power come from? I’ve never heard of anything like it.”

Evie shrugs. “I don’t know, master. It feels like a curse.”

Kael frowns. “And your parents? Did they have powers?”

Evie looks down, her voice trembling slightly. “I…I don’t know. I never met my parents, master. I was taken from them as a baby. When I asked, I was told never to ask again. They told me my existence was shameful, that I was better off away.”

Kael grits his teeth, and gives Evie a gentle squeeze. “That’s not true. You’re a good person, Evie. Not shameful at all.”

She is quiet for a moment, then she puts her arms around him, hugging herself close. Kael’s breath catches in his throat, and his heart skips a beat. Evie speaks, barely above a whisper.

“Master…can you…stay with me? Just for tonight? I feel safe. You make me feel safe, master.”

Kael swallows the lump in his throat. “Yes. I can stay, Evie.”

He can hear the smile in her voice, though he can’t see it. “Thank you, master. You are amazing…”