Sunbeam Lair sterb’ ich vor liebessehnen

almost, he did not wish to approach ruenna, or to approach her himself, for his own heartbeat had gathered an unseeming cadence. and mahler did not like to appear uncomposed before others. but the possible damage to his pride was swept beneath the soft inquiry of the woman's voice, and he drew to a more friendly distance, that the touch of the sun would also limn his own features.
"mostly mosses," the gargoyle admitted. "small plants. some mint." they were fed by the light that filered down to them, the rain that dripped from the underside of the rocks overhead. and though he was aware he could list from memory the green things that sprouted in the cavern, having been here once with alarian, mahler knew it was only a way to dissuade himself from answering the question.
"yes, of course," the shadow murmured in response to ruenna. turning, he moved back to the place where he had laid the small bundles in an organized fashion, glancing to the centurion to see what she made of his collection. and as he waited for the spark of her voice in the half-dark once more, mahler felt the odd sensation roil in his body once more.