Valerie languished in her despair and guilt for who knew how long. She refused to eat and sleeping wasn't even on her mind. She only did it when she couldn't hold her eyes open any longer and, when she slipped into the darkness, nightmares waited for her. Her dreams were flashing scenes of people she loved dying, Edaline and Sophie trying to cope with Grady's demise, and everyone knowing that it was all her fault. Tam called her a monster; Keefe refused to meet her gaze, telling her to leave him alone, but the worst was when Tiergan and Wylie disowned her and called her the Neverseen's little puppet. She often woke in a cold sweat, the images still swirling through her mind. As her heart raced, a small shock would run down her spine, making things worse.

Eventually, she just curled up in a ball on her cot and stared at the hall outside her door.
————
Vespera entered the room with a flourish, no longer bothering with the Neverseen cloak. "I must say you're resilient Miss Endal."

Valerie didn't bother to move, but met Vespera's gaze, glaring.

She sighed. "Anyway, there's someone I'd like you to meet." She stepped aside to reveal the cloaked figure standing behind her. "This is Neurosis."

The figure stepped forward to stand beside Vespera.

"She is a very talented Empath... and Inflictor." Vespera shot Valerie a piercing look. "And she's rather good at hiding."

Valerie connected the dots, but refused to give Vespera the satisfaction of seeing her surprise. Neurosis was the Inflictor that had been wreaking so much havoc in Valerie's life leading up to her capture. This Neverseen member was responsible for all of her emotional strife. She knew it hadn't been natural.

Vespera nodded to the figure, who tossed off their hood. It was a girl with long, straight, red hair and eyes that were a blue so dark that they were almost black. She looked a little nervous. Understandable, considering she had seen what Valerie was capable of first-hand.

Valerie sat up, glaring intensely at Neurosis. "Who is she?"

Vespera chuckled. "All you need to know is that she could easily break a thousand minds." She turned on her heels. "I'll leave you two to talk." She walked out, leaving Valerie alone with the mysterious girl who called herself Neurosis.

A/N
Okay, this one was a little shorter, but again, very important.
Second, Neurosis is my character. If you want to know more about her and how she came to be in the Neverseen, I would be happy to write that story. (No promises on when it would come out.)
Also, thanks for getting me to 200 views. I appreciate all of you who are reading this and I hope you are all enjoying the story.
-Cheshire