Imogene ignored Deirdre, standing over her daughter. "Stand up," she said, but Indigo was already trying. She used the wall for support to begin with, then stood on her own, straight as she could stand, in front of her mother. "Don't you ever try to do that to me again," Imogene said, even and calm.

Alex could see Indigo's arms shaking, and the look on her face was still one of a girl repressing quite a lot of pain. Her eyes looked totally black, but they were losing the light fast, so it could have been Alex's own eyes playing tricks. She'd pulled away from Cai again, but not far.

Imogene put her hand on Indigo's shoulder and angled her toward the gate. "Go inside," she said, her voice still even. Indigo twitched her shoulder away from her mother but did as she was told, slamming the gate behind her so hard all the iron rattled in its hinges.

Imogene looked at the group. "You can all leave as well."