Thrak’s strong arms wrapped about me. He held me to his broad, scarred chest. I shook as I wept in relief. I didn’t kill him. The words chanted th...ough my mind as only throat-tearing sobs escaped my mouth. I didn’t kill him.“I’m sorry,” I choked out. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”I kept sobbing the words, clinging to him. He scooped me up in his arms. He was so strong. I nearly killed him. But I didn’t. My magic didn’t take another innocent life. He grabbed my discarded robes, stepping over the. Your mother and Iwill be seeing a great deal of each other in the coming months and Iwant you to know you can trust me."There was a long pause. "Neil?" said his mum."Yes" said Neil, "it's ok." Are you sure?" Yes. It doesn't matter. I just..." Yes Neil?" Please don't let Clarissa tell on me." She won't Neil. I promise she won't."SEVEN"Hey pansy!" Neil was at school. He tried to walk away from Clarissa,but she ran to catch up then stood in front of him. "So I got told aboutyou last night." Yeah?". It was high summer, and he was keen to get back. He knew that his work was exceptional, and he thought he had a good chance of being accepted into university. The whole world was opening to him, his sister was proud of him, and his schoolmates impressed.His twin sister Dee had Penn's brains, but enjoyed life far too much to want to be a bookworm like he was. She was always up to some kind of mischief. She climbed the huge oak trees around town, she stole food from the nearby farms, she explored. . it's his eyes, his face, and his long hair ... it's strange, like it's in ribbons of black and grey, almost white. First time, he just popped out of a thunderstorm. That is, I was dreaming and this big storm came up, and then I was standin' next to the creek and this person ... old man, I guess, in buckskins and paint ... he kinda came out of thin air and stood there, and held out his hand like a greeting. Then he disappeared."Well, I kinda figured, later, that was just some weird dream.