A bright, red haze fills his mind, forcing the girl out-

The girl screams soundlessly, frantic hands matching her desperate mind, her attempts at connection sliding off the fierceness of the shield-

Mother, mother, it's all right, she's not a demon, she's something else-

I couldn't feel you, I could not even sense where you were! You reached out for me and then you were gone!

She...it's complicated. She-

He cuts off from trying to explain it, and instead just pushes the memories across to his mother.

Wildling is silent in his head for a long moment. 

And then, Bring her back here.

Be gentle. We don't know what they've done to her.

Merrill and I are more than capable enough of figuring it out. Bring. Her. Back. Here.

I...fine. 

He sighs, and opens the connection back to the girl, now that his mother has backed off.

He nearly drops to his knees with the weight of the pain-

The girl scrambles to latch onto Flai's mind, as if with both hands, and the feelings of loss, loneliness, pain and desperation melt on a sigh.

right. right.

He sends her regret, sorrow, and a promise for gentleness.

forgiveness, tinged with a desperate plea for it not to happen again.

He sends assurance that it won't, at least not while she was unprepared. 

"My mother wants to see you. She..." He sends her images of his wild, unpredictable, powerful mother. Sends the girl memories of Wildling's rituals, and studies, all alongside Merrill. "She'll help us see what you are." 

uncertainty. concern. 

A memory, a demon wearing a mother's face, whispering assurances while twisting the girl's mind, making her so confused, and lost-

"She won't. She won't. No one will. Not while I'm here, I promise."

He reaches out with one hand to take hers, but stops, a chill settling over him when he remembers what the demons did.

A memory, hands pulling, tugging-

-but a sense of hope, looking at Flai's hand.

Flai takes a step forward, and another, and then gently takes the girl's hand in his own.

bright, bright light, streaming through the bond, all carrying the highest, strongest sense of euphoria-

Flai gasps with it. 

She was so alone, so lost and tortured and twisted, that she feels this way from one simple touch?

your touch. your touch.

Of course. The hole in herself, empty except for him-

Dangerous. There has to be some way to make her whole. His mother will know. 

He tightens his hand on the girl's slightly, and starts to lead the way back to camp, making sure the girl followed.

The bond is filled with her amazement at finally touching him, and she goes with him easily.

He keeps sending reassurance through the bond, along with a few gentle squeezes to her hand.

Every time he does, the burst of light he gets in return nearly brings him to his knees.