The room remained silent.
"And he listened." Her eyes became distant. "He told me stories."
"What kind of stories?" Xander asked softly.
Aire's expression changed. It hardened. "About places I had never seen."
She swallowed. A tiny smile appeared. "He told me about human cities." Aire's smile faded. "And I told him about the Wolf Realm."
Xander glanced at Nate.
She closed her eyes.
Nate stepped closer.
Aire opened her eyes.
"He listened." She shook her head. "He always listened." Pain clouded her voice. "I thought..."
She stopped.
"What did you think?" Xander asked. His voice remained gentle.
Aire looked at him. "I thought I had finally found someone who understood me." Her voice became barely audible. "And then one day..."
She stopped.
Nate waited.
Aire stared into the distance. "One day, he was gone. He just disappeared. I went to the corner where we always met."
