Insight was hardly enough preparation for being dragged outside to where a little boy was standing, in tattered clothes and with tears in his eyes. It cut her to the heart to see him. So small. So afraid. Like the moment she had first found Luca with her Sight, and now here he was, squeezing her hand and practically begging her to help someone else.
"Yes," He said quickly, nodding a little and looking between them. "Please."
Help. Just help. He clearly didn't even really know what he was asking for, didn't know what Isaac needed, but he knew they would help. That, too, made her feel as if her heart were being torn in two.
"All right," she said gently, using her free hand to give Luca's a gentle pat and taking a moment to look him in the eyes. "Don't worry. You did well, okay? Let me go now."
He blinked down at their hands when he realized he hadn't released her, and slowly loosened his grip until he could wring his own hands together instead of squeezing hers. He hadn't meant to stop her after asking her to do something.
"Sweetheart?" Evelyn said very gently as she turned away from him, looking to the small boy standing in the yard with a small, sad little smile. "It's okay. You don't have to be scared." When she was still a few feet away, she knelt down in the grass to be closer to his height and held her hands out to him, beckoning him gently closer without demanding. "You're Isaac . . . aren't you? My name is Evelyn, and my friend is Garrett. Mr. Emerald has been telling us how much he likes talking to you. . . We were just going to get ready for dinner. Why don't you join us?"
He had to be hungry, she thought, always stealing snacks from the cupboards when he had the chance. He could have her portion, for all she cared. As long as they could get him inside where he could be well fed and taken care of. They would figure out where to go next after that.
"Yes," He said quickly, nodding a little and looking between them. "Please."
Help. Just help. He clearly didn't even really know what he was asking for, didn't know what Isaac needed, but he knew they would help. That, too, made her feel as if her heart were being torn in two.
"All right," she said gently, using her free hand to give Luca's a gentle pat and taking a moment to look him in the eyes. "Don't worry. You did well, okay? Let me go now."
He blinked down at their hands when he realized he hadn't released her, and slowly loosened his grip until he could wring his own hands together instead of squeezing hers. He hadn't meant to stop her after asking her to do something.
"Sweetheart?" Evelyn said very gently as she turned away from him, looking to the small boy standing in the yard with a small, sad little smile. "It's okay. You don't have to be scared." When she was still a few feet away, she knelt down in the grass to be closer to his height and held her hands out to him, beckoning him gently closer without demanding. "You're Isaac . . . aren't you? My name is Evelyn, and my friend is Garrett. Mr. Emerald has been telling us how much he likes talking to you. . . We were just going to get ready for dinner. Why don't you join us?"
He had to be hungry, she thought, always stealing snacks from the cupboards when he had the chance. He could have her portion, for all she cared. As long as they could get him inside where he could be well fed and taken care of. They would figure out where to go next after that.