“Is it about what happened last Sunday?” I asked, softer this time. Her quick nod made it clear to me that she was still wrestling with feelings of guilt. She didn’t believe me when I told her nothing had happened to me. “I told you he did nothing. Were you worried?”
She dropped her gaze and her shoulders hunched in.
“I’m not as innocent as I look,” I whispered to her, wanting her to know the truth. Not the whole truth, but part of it might help her. “He pulled me into a room after I left the bathroom. He wanted me to stay there with him, but I surprised him and slipped out. I’m guessing you feel guilty, but there’s no need. He’s a creep and I don’t intend on getting caught around him again. But even if I did, I can handle myself.” I’d meant to reassure her. But her face grew redder, eyes filling with tears the more I spoke.
“Can you tell me if you’re safe here? He isn’t hurting you, is he?” I asked as delicately as I could. She shook her head and held up one shaky finger.
“Only once? Was it why you stopped talking?” I pressed. The poor girl was shivering, her head dropping back.
The door to the study opened and Kellen burst through. His eyes glowering at me when he saw his sister. Stalking towards me, he hauled me up, his hand gripping my upper arm. I hissed, stumbling into his chest, my eyes widening.
“You made my sister cry?” he shouted. Suddenly there was a flare in the room, sucking at the energy inside of me. I fumbled with my ring, turning it before he stole more than a few bites of power from me.
“Ouch, overreaction much?” I fussed, prying at his iron grip. He was glaring down at me, his nostrils flaring with barely contained rage.
“What did you say to her?” he demanded, ignoring me. He flicked a concerned look at Christabel. She was frozen in her chair, her face draining of color.
“None of your business,” I retorted, irritated at his highhandedness. “I haven’t attacked her, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”
He pulled me closer, leaning down to hiss in my ear.
“Did you use your perverse powers on her? Have you been trying to seduce her with your body?”
I barked a surprised laugh, pulling back to give him an incredulous look.
“I don’t do that, but it certainly sounds like you’re well versed in it,” I taunted him. “What happened? You caused an orgy around you?”
His face twisted from golden to scared before he exploded, his arms snapping out and pushing me away from him. I skidded to the ground, landing on my ass.
“Stop! Stop it Kellen, please!” a hoarse voice called out and both of us froze. Christabel stood up from the chair and rushed between us, her hands outstretched towards Kellen. “She didn’t do anything to me.”
Christabel’s voice was gravelly from disuse. She swallowed hard, as if it hurt to get the words out.
“Chrissy,” Kellen blurted with longing, his eyes wide with shock. “Chrissy, you’re talking.”
“She was helping me. I was upset because we were talking about…” she trailed off. I stood up and glared at Kellen.
“She was telling me about Paul. He tried to attack me as well,” I spat. He needed to get it through his thick skull how wrong he was. Kellan e stumbled back, his hand coming to his throat.
“No, not again,” he muttered, his eyes glazing over. “I can’t let this happen again. Please tell me it isn’t true.” He looked agonized; his face twisted with torment.
“Key word is tried, Kellen, and it had nothing to do with you.” I frowned. “But he won’t get another chance. I promised your sister that we are going to deal with him. We are going to make it so that he’ll never hurt another girl again. Right?”
Kellen clenched his jaw. His sister reached out and wrapped her arms around him.
“It’s not your fault, Kellen. You’ve done nothing but protect me.” She took a deep breath before turning to address me. “I told my parents what happened, and they told me to tell no one else. They protected him over me. They didn’t care that he’d touched me. They didn’t care that he wasn’t punished or dealt with. I couldn’t believe it. I felt so betrayed that I figured what was the point in talking? No one cares what comes out of my mouth, anyway. Except for Kellen. Somehow, he found out what had happened, and he kept Paul from ever coming near me again.”
Kellen looked over Christabel’s shoulder. Bleak guilt leaked out of him. He thought he was responsible for what had happened. He thought his power had influenced Paul. Made him attack Christabel.
I needed to get him alone. He couldn’t have been more wrong. No wonder he had so much shame about his urges. He must have gone to the Pastor for salvation and found an alternative way of coping.
“Christabel, I need your help. Kellen and I are going to deal with Paul. He’s going to pay for what he’s done, but I must speak with Kellen alone. Could you do that? Let us have the room for a little while?”
She pulled away from Kellen and looked between us, confused and wary.
“You shouldn’t be alone in a room with him,” she explained like I was five. “Your virtue—”
“Yes, yes, my virtue.” I clasped my hands against my heart. “Kellen won’t do anything to me I don’t want, will you?” I looked at Kellen, his eyes still glazed and dim. He didn’t respond, stuck in his world of guilt and shame. Christabel looked at him with concern, her hand brushing against his cheek.