Free Accused (Ganzfield) by Kate Kaynak Page B

shielding when she’s out of range,” said Zack.
    I felt her mind fade as she moved back to the main building and I dropped the block from Trevor and me. I gave Zack a nervous little smile. Looks like I missed a few things.
    “We can catch up later. Now, tell me what you need me to do.”
    I felt my face burn and I dropped my eyes. I… I was going to ask you to charm out— I took a shuddering breath . I’ve got a bunch of pain and sadistic sexual stuff in my brain. It’s secondhand—nothing physically happened to me, I clarified as he inhaled sharply. But, if everyone already knows anyway, there isn’t any reason to… I mean, even if you charmed away my memories, I’ll just get them back from Ann or my mom or— My shoulders sagged—it just seemed pointless now. So I don’t really know if there’s anything you can do. We’ll just have to deal with it—deal with the nightmares and everything.
    Zack scowled. “Are you okay?”
    I glanced up at Trevor, feeling a few of the raw edges of his twisting emotions. He wanted to kill the man who’d done this to me.
    We’re working on it.
    Zack nodded. I felt something solidify in his shield, like a ripple passing over a lake. “Maddie, forget the images that those people put into your head. Forget all the sensations of pain, all the emotion. You will remember what happened, but it won’t bother you anymore.”
    The foggy sensation of being charmed filled my mind. Panic flashed through me. No! I don’t need this! I couldn’t breathe. I don’t want anyone messing with my head! Zack wasn’t doing anything wrong and, after the whole taking down Isaiah thing, I really should trust him, right?
    I should… but I just couldn’t.
    “Yee—urg!” I forced the charm command out of my head. I squeezed my eyes shut against the blinding pain—it’d never been this strong before. A wave of nausea rolled through me as the floor tilted. Trevor pulled me close. He couldn’t suppress the wave of protective anger that swelled through him.
    Zack’s voice seemed intrusively close. “Geez, Maddie! Why’d you even ask me to come here?”
    Sorry. I—I just… sorry.
    I opened my eyes to Zack’s exasperated stare. “You evergonna forgive me?”
    Yeah. It’s not about you. I just… I shook my head.
    Prickly grey energy quivered around Trevor. Which is more dangerous to Maddie? The traumatic memories or charm mind control?
    I turned in Trevor’s arms. We’re doing okay, right? Dealing with this ourselves? I mean, I’m already so much better.
    His electric quills smoothed as our eyes met. Yeah. We’re doing fine.
    Warmth swelled between us and our hearts expanded. Everything’s fine when we’re together.
    “You two coming to lunch?” Zack’s voice startled me. We’d forgotten he was here—invisible mind thing.
    Lunch? I was vaguely familiar with the concept.
    Trevor’s hand cupped the back of my neck. Are you up for it?
    Let’s go find out.
    Trevor nodded to Zack. “Meet you there in five?” We were both still in sleep clothes. We hadn’t anticipated getting out much today.

    Conversation fell off a cliff when we walked into the dining hall.
    —that she actually killed Isaiah Lerner. I mean, everyone here knows—
    —looks terrible. What did they do to her? She looks like she’s been in a concentration camp—
    —really is back. I thought she’d be locked up for life after—
    —Trevor’s so nice. I don’t know why he’s with a mass mur—
    —like a vampire, so thin and pale. What if she really is one now—
    —leave us all alone. She did it to protect all of us—
    —heard she killed a guard and broke out of a federal prison—
    “Hey, it’s Treddie!” Drew jumped up from a table of sparks.
    Ugh. I smiled at him, glad to be able to focus on his exuberant thoughts. Treddie? That’s sounds like a repulsively cute kid’s toy. If you must, go with “Madvor.” At least that sounds like something that would’ve fought Godzilla.
    Drew laughed.