The pained, pensive look that settled on Kain's face smote Penelo's conscious. Her head dropped, contrite when she realized she'd caused it. "I'm sorry," she murmured, unable to look up for the shame felt for indirectly making him unhappy. "I shouldn't have pried."

After a deep breath, she forced herself to look up, resting a hand on his arm. "You have more. You have Zephyr. And you have friends who genuinely care about you and your happiness." And yet, she couldn't deny recognizing a sense of having nothing left. Hadn't she buckled to it more than once?