Zaaijer. None of thethree had anyway of knowing that the man there were about to see althoughhe called himself Dr. Zaaijer wasn't really a therapist.... He wasn't evena doctor. Actually even though there was a man called Dr. Zaaijer thisman wasn't him. He had come into the real Dr. Zaaijer office one dayand send the man away using his hypnotic abilities. From then on, thisstrange man was known to everyone as Dr. Zaaijer, Family Therapist. Thereal Dr. Zaaijer now lives an entirely different. The meal was an awkward affair, stilted and uncomfortable. I tried to answer all the questions fired at me, mainly from Tom and very occasionally from his timid wife. The food was as bad as Tom had said it would be, but I had to force myself to eat a fair amount of it, so as not to upset Alison. I’m delighted when we can leave the table and retire to the sitting room. With the addition of alcohol the rest of the evening goes a little better, and I start to relax, talking more freely and taking. The steak had no taste. Food didn’t feel good. I didn’t care.I robotically put the food in the fridge and trudged off to my room, pausing to look at the phone again.“You know we love you, right?”“Yes,” I said quietly without looking at them.I wasn’t sure I was ready, but I picked up the receiver and dialed anyway. I gave mom a meaningful look and pulled the long cord toward my door.“Hello?”“Hey, it’s Jake,”“What’s wrong?”She knew instantly. She always knew. I don’t know how, but she just knew.I. Her property, “Have you finished delving into the minds of my subjects?”Avery maintained her stare, but even the Dark Queen Ariela wouldn't look her in the eyes, the soul gaze such an uncomfortable prospect, despite the fact she would have to be willing for it to occur, “I have, my Queen.”“And?” Ariela leaned forward a little, letting a hand trace down to play idly with a strand of Belind’s hair, treating him like a lap dog.“All your subjects within the Palace submitted to my practice, my.