"So proud," I assured. "I think I would have cried so much if I got hurt like that."

"Lou big boy." Giving a nod, and the weakest smile, he pulled his drooly fingers out of his mouth and pointed at Ember, who sat on the Lion's knee, opposite, looking down and out miserable. As he should have. "I save brudda. I stop munsta eaty him. Nae say 'good boy. Gotta tect your ittle brudda'."

"It's not your job to protect anybody," I informed him. The anger I felt towards Ember was unjustified. I was mature enough to recognize that I was angrier with myself for allowing Lumen to get hurt,...