[He knows that kind of fear--that kind of despair--from the inside. It aches to hear it from someone else.

He also understands completely the need to cloak it all in bluff joking.] Personally, I'd always thought going to sleep and not waking up would make for a prettier corpse on the pyre.

When you're ready, let's the two of us go talk to Miss Nessie together. Until then, we'll plan for what we can do about it if the Coven won't take the threat seriously; you keep yourself safe and away from it.

And if it tries to lay a hand on you--or the rope and the flame start looking attractive again--you can come to me.

My name's Myr, by the by. [Because he hadn't introduced myself.] I live in the cottages in the Haven, [and he gives the address.]