Hettie stared, horrified. It was as if Abby’s eyes had been replaced by smooth spheres of pure black oil. They gave her a slightly reptilian look, and Hettie fought against the urge to recoil.
“I wanna stay,” her sister said petulantly. “I like it here.”
Hettie pushed down the sick feeling bunching in her stomach and summoned her courage. “These people are bad, Abby. You can’t stay with them.”
“Zavi’s my friend,” she protested, rubbing those liquid black eyes. For a sickening moment, Hettie thought she might shed inky tears. “He helps me hear them all. He teaches me magic, and he takes care of me.”
“He’s not your friend, Abby.” Hettie squeezed her hands. “He made those men kill Ma and Pa, and he hurt me. He’s hurting you, too.”
“You’re lying!” Abby yanked her hands away. “Mr. Butch is
