Finally, she calmed enough to raise her head. She looked at Lark with undisguised fear. Her eyes searched him and then she rose to her knees and took his face in her hands. She seemed to be studying him, making sure it was him and not some trick of magic or her mind.

“It’s okay,” he said again. He took her face in his hands too and then pulled her close. He hugged her and let her calm down. “What did you see?” he asked as he stroked her hair.

“It was awful. The most frightening thing I have ever seen. You became a… a… monster.”

“I’m no monster. I...