She sighed when she felt his arms envelope her. "My head hurts," she said softly, pulling away to look into his eyes. "Let's get as far away from that wretched place as we can." She had a somber expression on her face as she pulled back to look at him. Assuming he went with, she started walking away from the manse, her head moving to rest on his shoulder as they moved down the road.

"I am sorry to have gotten you tangled up with the likes of my family, Joe," she said softly. "I knew they were bad, but I never imagined my own brother would hit me on the head and kidnap me. Thank God for Darius; he got me out." Her words were hushed and her voice ragged.