"I…I didn’t know. I swear."

"The only reason you didn’t know is because you did not want to see. You are telling me that when Gabrielle came home and did not want to be touched, and was quiet, and became the perfect and obedient daughter that you and Herodotus wanted so badly, you did not notice that something was wrong? The way she would stay at my house for weeks, and when she did come home, I was by her side, that didn’t tip you off? And you actually believed that Gabrielle was that sick from eating too many unripe berries? My gods woman, she tried to kill herself! She finally started to believe that junk that she was evil and deserved everything that happened to her. She was so afraid that she wanted to end it."

"I’ve never told her she was evil and I never laid a hand on her," Hecuba whispered.

"No, you just let Herodotus do it while you stood there and watched. He called her evil, and you just stood there. He hit her, you just stood there. He took her away, and you just stood there. And your silence encouraged him, and told Gabrielle that he was right. He may have broken her body, but you did your damnedest to break her spirit." She let go of Hecuba’s chin. "You are right about one thing Hecuba. Your daughter isn’t normal. She is the most extraordinary person I’ve had the good fortune of knowing. I’ve seen spirits broken beyond repair because of the abuse. And yet, Gabrielle still has enough love in her heart to light up the whole world. I wondered what she would have been like if she had a loving and caring family."

She looked at Lila. "You were the only one who really cared about her. She came back for you. She wanted you to know the truth, so that you would be able to protect yourself." She picked up the bags and walked closer to Lila. "Now you know the truth. If I were you, I would run. Run far away from this farm and from this town as fast as you can. Because if you don’t, they will poison you. And either you will become like them or you will die." Sophia turned and headed into the darkness.