As her presence settled around him, deep and dark but still unmistakably her, Kell finally felt himself relax. He hadn't been realizing how tightly he'd held himself until he felt her mind brush against his, familiar.

It was enough, just to be close.

"As long as you want," he assured her, but then she nudged at him, and the words all caught in his throat. Slowly, he shut his eyes, felt the rush of everything anew, all that had happened, everything he'd pressed down deep. The last words before they parted, before the world went to hell, the horrible things that happened after she'd gone silent in his mind.

The way she'd pulled away from in the chambers of Aallotar, gone so quickly on her quest -- but still refused to take back her pendant.

Neria had told him that she was angry... and he'd known that forgiveness was something that would be a long time coming, if it came at all. He could not begrudge her that.

But it still unhitched something in his chest to hear her say it.

"I left," he said quietly.