With a dry clicking sound, the top part of the handcuff swung away from the arm of the metallic chair.

Vander glanced down approvingly at Mylo, whose eyes were prideful. The man was equally proud of the boy's success, his small feat suddenly redeeming his normally troublesome behavior.

Vander saw a lot of similarities between the youngster and Hiedra. An acquired taste for breaking the rules, kleptomaniac tendencies and a constant need to provoke were the most striking.

The child's caretaker sometimes wondered if she could have fared better as his improvised parental figure than he did. The boy and her noticeably shared the same mischievous demeanor.

Vander felt as though she was meant to be these kids' guardian. He often pondered whether or not Hiedra noticed her affinities with them. Truthfully, he secretly hoped that her fear of loving them was what drove her away. It was easier for him to believe this than to consider that their love was beyond redemption.

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