"Apologies for the wait," the Cynn said, as Liya took the file from him wordlessly. "I wanted to speak to Marinos personally to verify its truth. I thought you might like your own copy."

He gave her a sideways look; his face had softened somewhat, even with the dark shadows that the firelight made.

"I hope it will bring you some closure," he remarked. "Or, at least, I hope it eases some of the anger and sorrow you have in you."

Her skin had gone see-through; a mass of poisonous, heavy, black sludge had boiled up from her chest and into her throat. She shook with the effort to contain herself as the Cynn looked at this. When she raised her eyes to him again, they had welled up.

"Why're you helpin' me??" she growled. "It ain't no skin off your nose."

The Cynn rocked back slightly. "Helly asked me nicely," he said. "And Terrya d'Ubis needs to know his place. And you seemed to need help, frankly. It doesn't seem to be in your best interest to be deported," he added, "I understand that your only living family in the Archipelago is estranged. Helly worried about what would befall you."

"Why do you care??"

"Wouldn't it be callous not to?"

"Then why don't you help Yoshi?!" Liya snapped, face red. "If you care so damn much, help someone who actually wants to be here!"

The Cynn stared at her. He looked over his shoulder at Yoshi, as though finally realizing he was still in the room--Yoshi looked utterly mortified in return.