Pudge remained hovering a couple of inches above Cassidy's knee, putting him between the two of them. He'd be available for petting, if Airy needed something else to soothe her mind.

Cassidy was also finding that, second by second, the horror inspired by her dream was fading. Even if it was still unsettling, at least she was here next to him, solid and warm and safe.

"Right. Her 'presence.'" She’d mentioned how Talia was still ‘in her head,’ and Cassidy couldn’t say how literal that was. "Now, is it more like — is it the memory of her that's stuck in your mind, or is it like you're Luke Skywalker and she's some sort of evil Obi-Wan?"