Casina listened, dashing the tears from her face, but not fully understanding. Her parents were dead, her brother was dead, and she...she had spent over two years of hell in some damned mental institute she had no place being at in the first place. And for a crime she wasn"t even guilty of committing.

Her shoulders shook then, and she released her hold on the branch overhead and dropped to a precarious squatting position on the other. Her hands flew to her face as deep, gut-wrenching sobs tore at her spirit. Afraid for her safety, the commander moved to draw her to him, comforting her the best he could, before...