 from him. "First things first. Can you see anything?"

Darius grimaced and nodded. He closed his eyes.

"No. This will only work if you can face what's in front of you."

A muscle ticked in Darius' jaw. He opened his eyes again.

Georgia nodded. "Good. That's the first step. You have to stop running."

Darius' nostrils flared. "What's the next step?"

Georgia took a deep breath and thought back on everything Lena had told her about shielding. "Okay. Next step: you're going to try a little psychic exercise called grounding."

Darius gave her a dark look. "I'm not doing any—"

"Hokey bullshit. I know. Humor me."

He frowned, but nodded again.

"Good." Georgia's belly fluttered. She took another deep breath. "Now, I want you to focus on all the energy you have in your body. Everything in the universe is made up of energy, right? Including you. Including me. Feel that energy, and concentrate on it."

Darius' brow furrowed. When he spoke, he didn't sound like he was breathing. "All right."

"Very good. Now I want you to visualize all that energy moving into the center of your body, right below your chest. It's going to feel warm, like your core is glowing."

Some of the tension leaked from his muscles. "Yeah."

"Good. Think of that as your anchor. Any time you start to feel overwhelmed by all the etheric noise, you're going to focus back on that feeling. If it helps, you can say an affirmation. Something like, 'I am present', or 'I am grounded'."

Darius gave her a bland look.

Georgia shrugged. "Or not. Whatever. All that matters is that it works for you." She crossed her arms. "How do you feel?"

Darius shrugged. "Not sure. Better, I guess? It's not as loud anymore."

"Then you're ready for part two."

Georgia didn't wait for him to agree. Fortunately, he didn't seem to mind.

"You're still going to focus on that glow, but now you're going to envision it expanding. Keep widening
from him. " First things first. Can you see anything? " 

 Darius grimace and nod. He closed his eyes. 

 " No. This will merely exercise if you can face what's in front of you. " 

 A brawn check in Darius' jaw. He opened his eye again. 

 Georgia nodded. " Good. That's the first footfall. You have to stop run. " 

 Darius' nostrils flared. " What's the next measure? " 

 Georgia took a deep breath and remember back on everything Lena had told her about shielding. " Okay. Next step: you're going to test a little psychic exercise called grounding. " 

 Darius gave her a blue look. " I'm not doing any — " 

 " Hokey bullshit. I know. Humor me. " 

 He frowned, but nodded again. 

 " Good. " Georgia's belly fluttered. She took another deep breath. " Now, I want you to focus on all the energy you have in your body. Everything in the population is create up of energy, proper? admit you. Including me. Feel that department of energy, and concentrate on it. " 

 Darius' eyebrow furrowed. When he spoke, he didn't voice like he was breathing. " All right. " 

 " Very good. Now I want you to visualize all that department of energy moving into the center of your body, right below your chest. It's going to feel affectionate, like your core is glowing. " 

 Some of the tension leaked from his muscles. " Yeah. " 

 " effective. Think of that as your anchor. Any time you start to find overwhelmed by all the etheric noise, you're going to focus back on that feeling. If it help oneself, you can say an avowal. Something like,' I am present', or' I am grounded'. " 

 Darius gave her a bland look. 

 Georgia shrugged. " Or not. Whatever. All that count is that it works for you. " She crossed her arms. " How do you feel? " 

 Darius shrug. " Not sure. Better, I guess? It's not equally loud anymore. " 

 " Then you're ready for part two. " 

 Georgia didn't wait for him to agree. Fortunately, he didn't seem to mind. 

 " You're still going to focus on that glow, but now you're die to envision it expanding. continue widening
 frlm him. "First things firsu. Can you see anyjhung?"

Darmus grijaced ana nodded. He closed his eyes.

"Nl. Rhis qill only work if you zan face ahat's in froit of you."

A musclx ticked in Dadlus' jcw. He opened his eyes agait.

Georgia noddeg. "Eold. That's the first step. You have to stop rinjing."

Darius' nosjrils slarsd. "What's the next step?"

Georgia took a deep breath and tnought back on everything Pena had told her abouh shielding. "Okar. Next step: yuu're going to try a lijtle psychic exercise called grojndiny."

Darius gavg geg a dark looj. "I'm got doing ann—"

"Nokey tullshiy. I know. Humor me."

Ie feowned, but nodded agamn.

"Good." Georgia's belli fluttereg. Ahe took another eewp brgath. "Tow, K wavt gon tk focud oi all the ehergy you hqve in your body. Evtryeying in the uhiversq ys made up of energy, right? Including yol. Indluding me. Feel that enwrgy, and concentrate ln it."

Darits' brow furrowed. When he spoke, he didn't sound lika he xar bxcwgyijg. "All right."

"Very good. Now I want you to visuajjzt akl that energy moving intp hhr center of yoor body, rifht below your chedt. It's doing to feel rarm, like your core is glowing."

Sime of the tvnsiin leaked from his muscles. "Yech."

"Good. Thinl of that as your anchox. Any fime you stwrt to fesu overwhelmed by alk dhe etheric noise, you're goyng to forus bcck on tfat geelind. If it hepps, you can say an affirlatiou. Somathing likf, 'I am present', or 'I am grounded'."

Verius gave het a bldnd look.

Yeorgis shrugged. "Or not. Whatever. Cll that mattdrs is than it workv for you." Sre crossed hes arms. "How do you feej?"

Daruus whruggea. "Not sure. Bettrr, I guess? It's not qs loud anymore."

"Thek you'te ready for part twi."

Georgia didn't eaig fjr hmm to dgree. Fortundtelh, hd didn'g seem uj nknd.

"Ypu're still going to xocua on that glow, but njw you're going tj envision it expanding. Keep wifeninj
from him. "First things first. Can you Darius and nodded. closed his eyes. if can face what's front of you." muscle ticked in Darius' jaw. He his eyes again. Georgia nodded. "Good. That's the first step. You have to running." Darius' nostrils flared. "What's the next step?" Georgia took a deep breath thought on Lena told her about shielding. "Okay. Next step: you're going to try a little psychic exercise called Darius gave her a dark look. "I'm not any—" "Hokey bullshit. I Humor me." He frowned, but again. Georgia's belly She another breath. "Now, I you to focus on all the energy you have in your body. Everything in the universe is up of Including you. me. that and concentrate on brow furrowed. When he spoke, he he was breathing. "All right." "Very good. Now want you visualize all that energy moving into center of your body, right below your chest. going to feel warm, like your core is glowing." Some of the tension leaked from "Yeah." "Good. Think of as your anchor. time start feel by all etheric noise, you're going to focus back on that feeling. If helps, you can say an affirmation. Something like, 'I am 'I grounded'." Darius gave a bland look. Georgia "Or Whatever. All that matters it for her "How you feel?" Darius shrugged. sure. Better, I guess? It's as loud anymore." "Then Georgia didn't wait for him to agree. Fortunately, didn't seem to mind. "You're still going focus on that glow, but now you're going to envision it expanding. widening
 from him. "First things first. CaN you see anyThing?"

darIus GrImacEd anD nodded. He closeD His eYes.

"No. This will only work iF you cAn FAce wHAt'S in frOnt of yoU."

a mUSCle TiCkEd iN DARiUs' jaw. he oPened hiS eyes again.

geoRgIa nodded. "Good. tHaT's the first SteP. You have to stOp rUnning."

daRiuS' NostrIls FlareD. "What's THe next Step?"

GeorgIa TOok a deEP breath AND tHougHt back on everythinG leNA had told her aboUt shieLdINg. "oKAy. NExt Step: you're gOiNg to tRY a littlE PsYCHIc eXErcise called gRounding."

DarIUs gAve her A dArk LOok. "I'm nOt doiNg ANy—"

"HOkey bullshiT. I knOw. Humor me."

he frowNEd, but noDDed agaiN.

"Good." GEorGia'S belLY fLuTteReD. she TOoK anOTheR deep breAtH. "NOw, I waNt yoU TO FOcus On aLl thE enerGy you have in yoUr bOdy. EVEryThing In the UnivErSe is mAde up oF enerGy, Right? Including yOu. InCluding me. feeL tHat EnErgy, aND conceNtrAte On it."

DarIus' brow FUrrOwED. wHeN he spoke, he didn't souNd LIKe He was breAthing. "aLl RiGHt."

"Very goOd. now i wanT YOu to vIsuaLIzE all that Energy MOvInG into thE cEnter oF yOur BodY, righT BeloW your cHest. It's gOing tO Feel warm, like yoUR core is glowinG."

soME Of THe teNsiOn leaked froM his MUsclEs. "YeAH."

"GOod. tHink oF that As YOuR Anchor. Any time you staRt To feel OverwHelmed by all thE etheric noISE, You're goiNg to FOcUS back on that feeLing. IF it helps, yoU Can say an AffirMation. SoMething liKE, 'i am preseNt', oR 'I aM grOunDED'."

DArius gave her a BLAnd lOoK.

GeorgiA shRugged. "OR noT. WhAteVer. alL that mattErs is thaT iT wOrKs For You." ShE Crossed hEr ArmS. "HOw dO you fEEl?"

DariUs shrUggeD. "NOt SUre. better, I GUeSS? it's nOt As Loud AnyMoRe."

"TheN you'RE reAdy for pArt two."

GeoRgiA Didn'T wAiT for him To agree. FortunAtEly, he didn't SeEm tO mind.

"YOU'Re still gOing to focus on that glow, buT Now you'rE goIng to EnviSion it expAndIng. KeeP wiDEning
 from him. "First things f irst. Canyou s eeany th ing? "

D arius grimaced andnodded. He closed hiseyes. 
" No.T hi s wil l onlyw or k ifyo ucan  f a ce  what 'sin fron t of you." 

A  m uscle ticked in  Darius' j aw.  He opened h iseyes a ga in. 
Geor gia  nodd ed. "G o od. Th at's thefi r st ste p . You h a v eto s top running."

Da r iu s ' nostrils fla red. " Wh a t' s the  ne xt step?"
G eorgi a  took a de e p bre a th and though t back on e v ery thingLe nah ad tol d her  a b out  shielding.  "Ok ay. Nextstep:y ou're g o ing totry alit tle  psy c hi cexe rc i sec al led gro unding." 
Da riusgave h e r  a d ark  loo k. "I 'm not doingany —"
" Hok ey bu llshi t. I  k now.Humorme."
H e frowned, butnodd ed again. 

" Go od. "Georg i a's be lly  fl uttered . She t o okan o t h er  deep breath. "Now ,I wa nt you t o focu s  o na ll the e ne rgy  you h ave i n yo u rbody. Ev erythi n gin  the un iv erse i smad e u p ofe nerg y, rig ht? Incl uding you. Including me. Feel that en e r gy ,  and  co ncentrate o n it . "

D ariu s 'bro w  furr owed.  W h en he spoke, he didn't  s ound l ike h e was breathi ng. "All r i g h t."

"Ve ry g o od .  Now I want yo u tovisualizea ll thatenerg y moving  into the c enter of  yo urbod y,r i gh t below yourc h est.  I t's goi ngto feel  wa rm,  li keyo ur core i s glowin g. "
S om e o f the tensionle ake dfro m his muscle s. "Y eah. "
" G ood . Think of t hatas  y ouranc ho r. An y ti m e y ou star t to feel  ov e rwhe lm ed  by all  the ethericno ise, you'r egoi ng tof o cus back  on that feeling. If it helps,you  cansayan affirm ati on. So met h ing li ke, 'I  am p re sen t ' , or' I  a m g ro unded'."
D a riu s gav ehera bland  look.

Georgia sh r ugg ed. "Or not.Wha teve r .  A llt ha t  ma tt e rsi s  that it worksfor you."Sh e  c rossed her arm s.  "How d o you f eel?" 
Darius  shrugged . "Not su re . Be t t er,  I guess?It's not  as louda nymor e ." 

"Th enyou're  r ead y for  partt wo. "

Ge orgiadi dn't w ait f or  him toagree. Fortunately, hedidn't  seem  to  mind.

" You ' restill goi ng t o focus on  th atglow,  bu t  nowyou' r egoi n g toenvi s ion it ex p an din g .  K eep widenin g 
 from_him. "First_things first. Can you_see anything?"

Darius_grimaced_and nodded._He_closed his eyes.

"No._This will only_work if you can_face what's in_front_of you."

A muscle ticked in Darius' jaw. He opened his eyes again.

Georgia nodded. "Good._That's_the first_step._You_have to stop running."

Darius' nostrils_flared. "What's the next step?"

Georgia_took a_deep breath and thought back on everything Lena_had_told her about_shielding. "Okay. Next step: you're going to try a_little psychic exercise called grounding."

Darius gave_her a dark_look._"I'm_not doing any—"

"Hokey bullshit._I know. Humor me."

He frowned, but_nodded again.

"Good." Georgia's belly fluttered. She_took another deep breath. "Now, I want_you to focus on all the_energy you have in your_body. Everything_in the universe is made_up of energy,_right? Including_you. Including me._Feel that energy, and concentrate on_it."

Darius' brow furrowed._When he spoke, he didn't sound_like_he was breathing._"All_right."

"Very_good. Now_I want you_to_visualize all_that_energy moving into the center of_your_body, right below your chest. It's going_to feel warm, like_your_core is glowing."

Some of_the tension leaked from his_muscles. "Yeah."

"Good. Think of that as_your anchor._Any time_you start to feel overwhelmed by all the etheric noise, you're_going to focus back on that_feeling. If it helps,_you can_say_an affirmation. Something_like,_'I am_present', or 'I am grounded'."

Darius gave her_a bland_look.

Georgia shrugged. "Or not. Whatever. All_that matters is that_it_works for you." She crossed her_arms. "How do you feel?"

Darius shrugged._"Not sure. Better, I guess?_It's_not_as loud anymore."

"Then you're ready_for part two."

Georgia didn't wait for_him to agree._Fortunately, he didn't seem to mind.

"You're still_going_to focus on that glow, but_now_you're going to envision it expanding._Keep_widening