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tightly clenched at his side. Julia is pacing back and forth shouting at Tolan abo ut how people in this world don’t kidnap girls in their sleep , and if it were not for the fact that he and his “buddies” are keeping me from her, she would take each one of them down. Especially Tolan , who she believes is the ring leader.
    I watch as Tolan step s up, cutting off her pacing , stopping her in her tracks.
    “I’m going to tell you this one more time, you she-devil,” he says through clenched teeth “I didn’t kidnap anyone . I was asked to find you and you came of your own free will. You’re the one who’s holding me prisoner with your stupid accusations!” By this time he’s yelling just as loud ly as Julia, ignoring the growing fury on her face.
    “Listen you pointed— ear mental case, if I’m keeping you prisoner, then let me release you from your chains!” With her usual agility, Julia shuffle s her feet closer to him attempting a roundh ouse kick to his head. She’s not quick enough, though. Tolan side steps her easily, at the same time grabbing her ankle and yanking her forward , pulling her off of her standing leg. She hit s the ground face first.
    She turns on her backside looking up at him, coughing dust and glaring , “Why , you son-of-a-bitch!”
    Tolan moves to the front of the SUV. He puts his foot on the bumper just as Julia is up and charging at him. As she throws a punch, Tolan shifts his upper body slightly, catches her wrist and throws her over his knee. He swings his arm back and puts a hard smack to her backside .
    Leaning into me Mellis whispers, “It’s been like this since last night. I don’t think any of us got any sleep. Tharin moved you two in this house, and Alorn, Phoris and I moved to the next. Even the distance couldn’t cut out their screaming.”
    Trying not to laugh , I finall y move toward Tolan . With my hands out waving before me, I stop him from smacking Julia a second time .
    “Tolan, stop!” H is hand stops in midair and Julia stops struggling as she tries to twist around to look at me . “Please, Tolan. I think she’s had enough. Besides, do all the guys in your family beat on girls?”
    I mean t it as a joke, but the mortified look on Tolan’s face tells me that he took my comment seriously . He looks at his raised hand and then down at Julia. He pulls her up to face him by her shoulders. I watch him as he studies Julia’s face, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time. Knowing Julia, she’s more pissed about the fact that he had the upper hand than about the spanking she just received. Without a word , he pushes Julia to me and walks away.
    “Julia, are you okay ? ” I ask looking her over. When I push her hair from her face I notice the bruise above her jaw line, the purple goose egg under her right eye and her split bottom lip. I know that they are n o t from Tolan. Her stepfather had beaten her again disguising it as a workout session in the boxing rin g. It happened on my birthday. It’s the reason why she wouldn’t have been able to do the run that night with me. Frank and her stepbrother are the reason s I wanted her with me.
    Julia didn’t hear or even notice me. Her eyes remain fixed on Tolan.
    *

Chapter Sixteen ~ Tharin ~
     
    I take out Kalis’ message sphere that Mellis handed me. Kalis. How is it that I haven’t thought of her since last night? I feel a pang of guilt because I’m not as excited about receivi ng a response to my own message, which I sent yesterday. You’re just tired, that’s all , I tell myself. Yeah, that’s it. Yet, while I call forth the message from the sphere, all I can think of is the feel of Lily’s hand in my own. Small and warm it seem ed to fit nicely as she did in my arms. I must be tired. I shake off my thoughts of Lily and smile as the back of Kalis’ head appears. She must be in the Summer Garden as I can see the red Londias in the back ground. The face that turns to me is fair and