The sky was washed in a soft orange glow, slowly fading as evening approached.

  Harlyn sat in the living room, a book open on her lap, when a sudden knock echoed through the house.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  She jumped to her feet and hurried to the door, excitement lighting her face as she pulled it open.

  “Mom—!”

  The word caught in her throat.

  A man stood there instead. Large, broad-shouldered, his shadow stretching across the doorway.

  Harlyn hesitated.

  “Sir… who are you?”

  His eyes moved over her, lingering a moment too long.

  “Is your mother home?”

  “N-No,” Harlyn answered quietly.

  “Tch—already?!” He mumbled to himself.

  Then he glanced past her, into the house.

  “…There’s no one else home with you?”

  Harlyn swallowed.

  “No sir…”

  The man swung his arm.

  Thud—

  He shoved her.

  The cold floor slammed into Harlyn’s back before she could even think.

  He stood where he was, filling the doorway.

  “Don’t act foolishly,” he said calmly.

  Harlyn’s hands trembled.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Her breath came in short gasps.

  She slowly stood—one arm raised—aiming straight at the man’s head.

  Fwoo…

  A small wind came out… just enough to… flicker the man’s shirt.

  His voice lowered.

  “Do you care for Meryl?”

  Harlyn froze.

  He continued.

  “If you keep resisting… your mother won’t be coming home.”

  Her breath hitched.

  Arm slowly fell still at her sides.

  The man grinned.

  “Good girl.”

  The door closed behind them with a dull thud.

  ***

  Moonlight shone in through the small window.

  The man was long gone.

  Only a small figure remained.

  Harlyn was huddled on the kitchen floor, her knees drawn close to her chest.

  Her spellbook lay nearby, pages splayed open where it had been dropped.

  She had been sitting there for a long time.

  The sound of a key turning snapped her out of it.

  The door opened.

  “Harlyn?”

  Meryl’s voice came out.

  Harlyn lifted her head.

  In an instant, she scrambled up and ran forward, clutching her mother’s legs as tightly as she could.

  “You’re safe!”

  Meryl blinked, startled, then knelt down and cupped her daughter’s face.

  “I'm always safe—”

  Harlyn smiled too quickly.

  “I chased him away.”

  Her breath caught when she noticed something strange with her daughter.

  “Harlyn… what happened?”

  Meryl’s hands trembled as she noticed some marks along her daughter’s arms, faint and uneven.

  Her composure shattered.

  “Oh… I’m so sorry,” she whispered, pulling Harlyn into her arms.

  “I’m so sorry…”

  She stroked her daughter’s hair again and again, as if afraid to stop.

  Harlyn hugged her back just as tightly, her smile never fading—

  Even as quiet tears slid down her cheeks.

  “Mom…” she whispered.

  “I miss Dad…”