Amanda Lioletta had always been different.
From a young age, she had felt the darkness inside her—the urge to dominate, to control, to make others suffer.
It was a hunger that never went away, no matter how much she tried to suppress it.
She had learned to hide it, of course.
She had built a mask of warmth and kindness that fooled everyone around her.
But the hunger remained.
Her blessing only made it worse.
The ability to invade minds, to read memories, to manipulate perceptions—it gave her a taste of power that was intoxicating.
She could see people's deepest secrets. Their fears. Their weaknesses.
And she wanted to exploit them. She wanted to reach into their minds and hear them scream.
But she couldn't. Not in the real world.
The authorities kept too close a watch on powerful Blessed individuals.
If she ever acted on her desires, she would be caught. Imprisoned. Possibly executed.
So she buried her hunger deep inside and played the role of the gentle, caring teacher.
