Dragoncrest Cliffs and tear your garments in grief

She still couldn't speak as Erzulie pulled her in, reassured her, peppered her face with kisses. Rosalyn closed her eyes and returned the embrace, but she found no tears for this. This entire nightmare was too much.

It did not matter who knew. Not now. She knew that nothing would shake the bond she and Erzulie had forged in creating this home, but that did not stop the grief from dulling her. It was not the loss of rank, but something deeper, a loss she could not put into words.

She sensed, after this, they would never see her as she was. Instead they would see what she herself saw - and the old Rosalyn would be lost. The best of her, gone forever.

I love you. The words came out rough. And with them, finally, tears.