“I look forward to turning it into what I need.” Desperate to discover what he meant by need, she tried to speak, but even though the gag muffled her efforts, he pressed his fingers over her mouth. “Don’t,” he warned. “Certain things simply must be. That’s what we both need to comprehend. We are part of something larger than us. Something powerful and good.” Good? She knew her eyes were widening and her muscles had tensed, but he ignored those things. After several seconds, he took his hand off the gag and rolled her onto her stomach. Being unable to see him brought her dangerously close to panic, but before the battle could consume her, he untied her leg and stretched it out beside the free one. That done, he turned her onto her back again. Not having her leg trapped under her felt wonderful! Next to that, her weight resting on her hands was nothing. Thank goodness for loose soil and layers of decayed pine needles. “I’ve been alone a long time,” he told her in a tone that mirrored the wind.
