Chapter 174: Accepting Reality

LUMINA I felt bile rise in my throat as I thought about all the times Riley had mentioned being "taught lessons" or "practicing magic." All those innocent--sounding phrases had been euphemisms for  abuse and torture.   My baby boy had been used as a test subject for curse magic, had been deliberately hurt over and over again by an adult who should have cared for him.   "He still thinks of Sophia as his mama," I said, my voice hollow with grief and fury. "Did you hear the way he talked about her? Like she's just away on a trip and will come back soon. He has no idea she's dead, and part of him still loves her despite everything she allowed to happen to him."   "The psychological conditioning runs deep," Lynn said clinically, though I could see the emotion in her eyes despite her professional tone.    "Children who are abused often maintain loyalty to their abusers, especially when they've been isolated from other relationships. Riley's entire understanding of love and family has been wa