[ She doesn't wipe her own tears away, either. Barely registers that they're there, coursing over their fingers against her cheek, falling from her chin onto her legs or trickling down her neck. When the wind blows, it cools those slick trails and makes the air seem colder. ]

I'm so sorry that happened to you, Colin. Vhenan. [ There's no trace of pity in her voice, or on her face. With them temple to temple, practically cheek to cheek, he can surely feel the twitch of her brow, sense the set of her jaw. How she hates Lutair, and that other Templar. Maybe all Templars. ] If I could, I'd kill them for you. The way you killed Devigny for me in that nightmare. I'd keep you safe.

[ As if drawn to it by a magnet, she reaches out with her empty hand to touch his chest, knowing that those little stars are there beneath the fabric of his shirt. ]