Page 15 of Thrust into the Light
As he begins walking he says, “I know it is going to take some time for you to get over your fears. I want you to know that no noises you make will ever make me want to hurt you. If you need to stand and scream till your voice hurts just to get out some of your pain, I will hold your hand while you do it and then order you some hot tea with honey in it to help soothe your throat when you are done. If you just want to sit and talk for hours about nothing, I will sit there with you and talk to you. Maybe rub your feet while you tell me what is on your mind. I am never going to hurt you. I will do none of the things that were done to you.”
I put my head against his chest as he is talking. I really hope what he is saying is true. I don’t want to be hurt anymore. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. With my head against his chest, I can hear his heart. It is steady. His heart doesn’t feel like it is trying to escape his chest like mine does. It is a pleasant sound. I don’t remember closing my eyes.
17
Connor
Not even five minutes into our walk to the administration building, Farlen fell asleep nestled into my chest, her ear pressed against my heart. I’ve been standing here outside the building for the last ten minutes, trying to let her sleep. She looked so tired after our trip to the mall. I was such a dumbass for taking her there. I didn’t think about how everyone would react to her. I couldn’t think past the need to take care of her, to get her the things she needed. Fucking judgmental people. Yes, she looks different, but that doesn’t mean she needs to be treated like an animal. There were a few teens who came into the store while she was trying on clothes, trying to get another look at her. I overheard them wanting to get another look at her. One of them even suggested checking the changing rooms for her. A quick look through his mind and bringing up the fact that he still pisses the bed got them to change their minds.
That Hollie girl was a lifesaver. I don’t know if I could have explained to Farlen how to put on a bra. I need to let her know that she doesn’t have to wear them when she’s in the house. Just when she goes out, or is expecting company. She really doesn’t like them. Damnit, now all I can think about is her walking around topless. Get a grip on yourself, man. She’s nowhere near ready for any of that. I honestly don’t know if she will ever be ready for that. I wasn’t lying when I told her I would never do the things to her that were done to her previously. Anything romantic with her she’s going to have to initiate and even then I’m going to make damn sure it’s what she wants. Just thinkingabout what that fucker did to her has the semi I was starting to rock die down.
I blow a breath out, can’t sit here and stall any longer. Who knows, maybe this will be quick. I will wake her up if she needs to be woken up. I shift her a little so I can grab the handle on the door and pull it open, using my foot to hold it open so we can go inside. I never had to meet with the Dean when I was in attendance here, though he always gave a speech at the beginning of every semester, which was all of my interactions with him. I guess he retired last year from the position, to live life with his own match group. Let’s hope that his replacement is competent enough for this job.
Looking around the administration offices, there’s a registrar booth where I already registered Farlen for classes, and had to make a trip over here while she was sleeping to change her name on her records. Fucking dumbass that works there actually thought her last name was no-last-name. I swear it would kill some of these guys to pick up a book and flex their mind muscles once in a while, instead of their physical ones.
I quickly find the Dean’s office and knock on the door.
“Enter.”
Great, what a great way to start off this meeting by sounding like a pompous ass. Why not say doors open, or come on in? Something that conveys a level of respect and being open to people coming in, instead of demanding they can enter. Shaking my head, I do the same trick of opening the door with my hand under Farlens leg, pushing it open with my foot and holding it open with it.
The office is, of course, decorated in opulence. There are old tapestries on the wall, and dark leather chairs for sitting on. What I’m going to guess is a solid mahogany desk sits in front of a door towards the back. Sitting there is a half-giant. The name placard on the desk states Sec. Thaddeus.
“Hey, we got a notice on our door that you wanted to see us. This is Farlen and I am one of her matches.”
“Let me tell the Dean you are finally here. Please have a seat.”He says in a deep voice. I don’t like the way he is looking at Farlen, so I shift her around in my arms and sit down. She is still asleep. I am going to have to wake her up for this meeting.
“Sweetheart?” I whisper in her ear. She moves a little but doesn’t wake up.
“Farlen, sweet girl, we are here. It’s time to wake up to meet the Dean.”
She mumbles a little in her sleep and burrows her head into my chest. Fuck it. Guess I’m dealing with him by myself. She is so tired. We walked a mile today before she started lagging behind. Plus, the healing of her body used up a lot of her energy, too. We sit here for another four minutes and Thaddeus returns from the door he went through.
“Dean Augustus will see you now.” He rumbles.
I stand up and try to position Farlen back to the bridal carry I had her in. But she makes a small sound of protest. Although her protest, I move her that way. I can’t think straight with her slight frame wrapped around me like that. Going through the door, I am met with more opulence. Yeah yeah guy, we get it; you have money. Doesn’t mean you need to be a douche and flaunt it in people’s faces. Sitting at a sleek glass desk is a fey male. Can’t really tell people’s ages because each race ages differently. I would say he’s at least middle-aged.
“Come in, come in, please sit down. Is she quite well?”
“She’s had a long day, sir, she is exhausted. We saw your note and decided to come as soon as we could. She fell asleep on the walk over here. I can relay any information to her when she wakes up. I would prefer to let her sleep as she went through some healing today.”
“Yes, yes, that’s fine. I have a report from Healer Daniel on her. She is a unique case, and I just wanted to let you all know that we will do what we can to make her transition into the community as smooth as possible. I just have a couple of questions and seeing as she is asleep should be a little easier for you to answer. The register took her last name down as no-last-name. Is that truly her last name? Or was the oaf just too daft to remember itbefore he wrote it down?”
“According to the police who found her, and the orphanage she’s from, there was no last name given to her when her parents ditched her there, and none has been bestowed on her.” Why would that be easier for me to answer with her asleep? Something isn’t adding up to me.
“Alright then, well, seeing as it’s already on her file, we will keep it as it is, seeing as it is true and all. Secondly, she has the biggest match group we’ve had in quite a long time. Do you think she will manage a group that large?”
“It isn’t up to her to manage us. She deserves any happiness this life can give her, and if it takes seven of us to make her as happy as she deserves to be, then so be it. We will manage ourselves and bring her only the happiness she deserves.” Who in the hell is this guy? It’s obvious he doesn’t have a fucking match group if he doesn’t understand that.
“I can see you misunderstand me. The larger the match group, the more powerful the center of the group is, and tends to draw in equally powerful matches. What I am worried about is if she will be strong enough to manage the power from all of you.”
“Well, sir, I guess time will tell.” This guy. Seriously.
“That it will. Last question and then I will let you go so you can get her taken care of. Do you think she will pose a danger to the people here? I know little of what has happened to her, just what in the report, but trauma like that doesn’t just go away. It festers and has a way of sticking with a person. Triggers can come from nowhere and she could snap. Do you think she would hurt someone who does something to trigger her?”
Of course. Because she is fucking different looking, people already fear her. Well, I guess it’s time to piss off the Dean.
“Honestly Dean Augustus, I hope she fucking hurts anyone who does anything to make her think she is back in that basement, because if she doesn’t, I will. But I honestly don’t think she would hurt anyone. After all the pain and torment she has lived through, even still she cowers and tries to hide when she is afraid of something. Never have I heard her speak in morethan a whisper. She doesn’t show any signs of being violent at all. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be. That also doesn’t mean that her other six matches won’t burn this fucking world down to protect her when they finally find her. If that is all, sir, I need to get her to her bed so she can get a good night’s rest.”
