It hurt. All of it hurt, and all the more now when emotions were moving, shifting. Hopefully not settling. They hurt, and even as Hopeless raised a hand to grip Saracen's shoulder in a return hug, he had to bite his lip to withhold the whimper.

Something needed to give. Something needed to change.

Which was why, quite abruptly, Hopeless jerked back and yanked Saracen down onto their laps--both their laps. "Saracen was avoiding a hug because he feels guilty he didn't save me," Hopeless said into Erskine's hair, but loudly enough for them all to hear. He looked down at Saracen. "Erskine thinks it's his fault you didn't come over right away."

He turned his head toward Ghastly and Anton, across the room. "Erskine was put into unending agony for twenty-three hours out of every day, by Darquesse. He was like that for ten days before he arrived here. That's what Anton was going to tell you." He narrowed his eyes at Anton. Anton grunted. "Anton's having trouble with the gist."

Anton grunted again. "You're still as annoying as ever."

"Mind-reader."