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About an hour later Kate stirred and Darlryan hurried back to her side.

“Urgh!” She groaned. “My head hurts worse than ever. And that hurt even worse than my head does.”

“I know,” he said in a soft tone. “But it should be the last time you have to suffer one of these. We’ll need to watch out in case whoever did this to you tries to relay them.”

“If I never have to suffer with the headaches again that pain will be worth it,” she said. “Can I go home now? I need to sleep.”

“Of course.” He reached out and checked her parents weren’t home before teleporting to her her bedroom with her and laying her on the bed.

“Very convenient,” she muttered. “Can you close the curtains, please. I don’t want to stand up.”

“I don’t blame you,” He closed the curtains.

“Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Kate. When I empowered you I took you under my protection and I take my responsibilities seriously. I’ll call in later after your parents are asleep and check that you’re recovering. If you aren’t in pain when you wake up why not practice you psychokinesis some more?” He looked around the room. “Why not try and find out what the heaviest thing in here that you can lift is?”

“Okay.” Kate pulled the duvet over her eyes.

“Sleep well, Kate,” he said but she had already gone back into sleep. He took one more look at her mind to check the barriers weren’t reforming then teleported out again. He wanted to go back to the other world and consult with his allies but he was tired and time was against him. He needed to go back to his human identity before his foster parents missed him.

***

“Are you okay?” Ophelia asked Kira after they had returned to Sera’s house. Kira hesitated before nodding.

“I think so,” she said. “Just confused. My mother… I mean Mirtalka not Gran… see what I mean confusing. Anyway Mirtalka has told me some horrible stories about Kirala. She didn’t like that dad named me after her and now I find out I am her. She’d have a fit if she knew.”

“She seems like a zealot,” Ophelia pointed out. “But maybe something happened between them?”

Kira shook her head. “It’s not that. She not old enough to have known me before. I think it’s hearsay… I hope it’s hearsay.”

Ophelia squeezed her hand. “I’m sure it is,” she said. “I’m sure your family would know if you had done something bad and from what they said you were badly hurt. I think you are a victim in this not a perpetrator.”

“I really, really hope you are right,” Kira said quietly. “I don’t want to be one of the bad guys.”

“Then don’t be,” Ophelia said. “The past is just that so even if you were bad – which I doubt – what matters is who you are moving forward.”

“And I’d trust you before your foster mother,” Sera said. “She’s been a jerk every time we’ve met her.”

“Foster mother! That’s a good name for her.” Kira nodded. “And yeah, I don’t know what’s got into her. She wants me to forbid you to have friends.”

“What?” Ophelia said. “Try it!”

Kira raised her hands placatingly. “I wouldn’t. You know that. And gran and dad have told her to stop as well. She’s still pushing it though. Says you shouldn’t be doing anything except fighting the enemy.”

“I really don’t like her,” Ophelia said dryly. “Can we talk about something else?”

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