"What? No!" She shook her head. She started trembling. She thrust her hand with his talisman out towards him. "Take it back!"
He quickly returned to her, and wrapped both her hands around his talisman, and held her hands within his. I know what I am asking you to face with this request, Kaily. I ask that you trust me, and trust that nothing will harm you, please little one.
She shook her head and closed her eyes.
He knew that she struggled with his request. She wanted to do as he asked, but her fear of being left in the room by herself overwhelmed her. He took her in his arms and held her close. The first thing about learning to control your abilities is learning to control your emotional reactions to situations. I know it is terrifying to face your fears, little one.
Do you? She demanded. Do you really know, Moto?
His first reaction was to reply with a resounding yes, then again as he thought about his life and what he faced. He didn't feel entirely confident he could honestly answer yes. Despite the fears he faced in his life, he couldn't remember anytime he felt the overwhelming fear emanating from his Kaily. Not even his dreams of doom and destruction of his people made him feel the helpless, paralyzing fear that he felt emanating from her. Perhaps not in the way you must face here and now, he replied. He wanted to reassure her irrevocably that he understood, but he didn't face the kind of fear that he asked her to face. He didn't entirely understand where her fear originated. The night terrors held some of the answer to those fears, but not all. Night terrors should not cause the kind of fear emanating from her. Despite his inability to understand, the fears were tangible and very real to her.
Thank you, she replied.
For what?
She lifted her head, so her gaze met his. For not simply answering yes, she replied.
I want to understand, Kaily, I do. He caressed her cheek and wiped the tears that were again trickling from her eyes.
I appreciate that you do. She shook her head, but I don't even understand this fear I feel. I know that there is no reason for it, but still I feel it. There was helplessness in her mind and tone.
Trust me to help you face it. He held her secure in his embrace.
I want to, Moto.
I know you do, little one. He pulled back and bent his head and kissed her, he tried to pour feelings of reassurance into her as he took possession of her mouth and mind. He hoped that his emotions could reassure her in a way that he knew words never would. He felt her cling to him as if she were hanging on for dear life and gave herself up to his kiss. He pulled back even though he didn't want to. He felt the loss of contact as much as she seemed to feel. He kissed each of her closed eyes and brushed another light caress of a kiss against her lips. Ready?
She took a deep breath. Isn't there another way we could test this? Maybe if I try to pull the energy in through you instead?
He felt and heard the hope in her mind and heart that there was another way. The look in her eyes that she turned towards him made his heart hurt for her. He shook his head. I need to be sure that you are pulling and gathering the energy without me inadvertently feeding it to you. The room is shielded, which is why the door has to be closed. He saw the panic light up her eyes and take hold in her mind. I don't know if we can still speak mind to mind. He answered her fear without her voicing it aloud.
She began to tremble.
He gathered her back into his warm embrace. He was torn between forcing her to face her fears for her own good and carrying her back into the main part of the cave and loving her as tenderly as he was capable.
I prefer the second choice, she replied.
He smiled, I do too, but that doesn't mean that it's the right choice.
I know. She took a deep breath and took a step back which forced him to relinquish his hold on her.
He could tell she was still trembling. There was determination in her mind. He couldn't be prouder of her than he was in that very moment. "I will count to ten and then open the door again, in case we are not able to communicate telepathically. It will be over before you know it. I want you to just concentrate on pulling a small," he emphasized the word, "amount of energy into you through my talisman, nothing more, and not too much energy. Understood?" He gave the instructions aloud in an effort to help soothe her nerves.
She nodded.
"That's my girl." He brought her hands firmly holding onto his talisman to his lips and kissed them. Remember, I'm right here with you. Nothing is going to happen to you.
She nodded again.
He reluctantly stepped away from her. He walked backwards to the entrance so that his eyes remained locked with hers for as long as possible. His heart was in his throat from the fear he that emanated from her. He knew it was the hardest thing for her to face and his emotional waves of reassurance didn't help alleviate her fears. He stepped backwards through the entrance, nodded once to Kaily, and then waved his hand in front of the opening, closing the entrance.
He tried to touch her mind and cursed when he couldn't. Their telepathic communication was disrupted as he suspected it would be. He hoped that he would still be able to reach her mind. He counted to ten and opened the
