The Burning Man

4

While Mallory bathed his wounds in one of Decebalus’s network of secret rooms at the back of the Hunter’s Moon, Sophie sat with Virginia Dare, brushing and braiding the little girl’s hair. More resilient than Sophie could have hoped, she had recovered from the worst of her ordeal, but her eyes still held a haunted look that Sophie feared would never fade.

‘When will you rescue my mother?’ Virginia asked.

‘Soon.’ Sophie averted her eyes from a network of scars peeking above the neckline of the girl’s shift.

‘Do not talk to me about that place!’ Virginia snapped, as if she could read Sophie’s mind.

‘Darling, you’re with friends now. We’re going to look after you.’

‘Nobody can look after anybody. You are always on your own.’

‘That’s not true-’

‘It is! My mother could not protect me!’

Sophie winced. ‘I know what that’s like. To feel you’ve been abandoned by people you count on. You’re lost. You’re scared. You’re afraid you can’t stand on your own. It hurts, doesn’t it? And you never forget that hurt.’

Virginia watched Sophie intently for any sign that she was lying or patronising. ‘You are not alone. You have the Knight.’

‘Mallory? Yes, I do.’ Sophie looked around to check that Decebalus was not in earshot and then whispered conspiratorially, ‘I haven’t even told Mallory this. It’s a secret, between you and me, all right?’

Virginia’s eyes grew wide. She nodded.

‘Before Mallory came along, I felt exactly like you. I couldn’t cope on my own, and I was ready to give up. I didn’t show anybody — I’m not like that. I put on a big, brave smiling face, but inside I was clinging on by my fingernails.’

Sophie could see that Virginia understood.

‘And then Mallory came along and he saved me,’ she continued. ‘Not in an “I’ve got a big sword to kill the monsters” way. Instead he made me realise there was somebody to watch my back when I wasn’t up to the fight. He showed me the truth — that none of us are superheroes who can always cope on our own, and it’s not a sign of weakness to accept that. All we need to do is find somebody we trust and put our faith in them to look after us when we stumble. And once you give up fighting on your own — once you share that burden of struggle — you’re stronger.’

Through the open door to the next room, she watched Mallory move about, wincing when one of his wounds pulled.

‘You are very lucky to have found him.’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I am.’ She let her own deeper fears subside and turned back to Virginia with a reassuring smile. ‘And now I’m asking you to trust us. Can you do that?’

Virginia looked into Sophie’s eyes for a moment and then nodded, before nuzzling her head into Sophie’s neck and hugging her tightly.