Ice cold fingers spread from Malou's chest, wrapping her from the inside out in a cold that had nothing to do with the storm around them. She was ice and darkness. A creature that knew only fear, that froze in its grip, that huddled forgotten to the end of its days.

Dimly she felt warmth caress her jaw line, felt Faustus's hands, knew he was there. She stared at him, but her mind saw nothing. "I can't." The words came out a despairing cry and she burrowed down in herself, chin burrowing into her cloak, eyes closing. "Faustus." He was there, she knew it, but she couldn't make her body recognize it. "I can't." Panic settled into her fully but Faustus...

With an effort Malou looked up at him, she barely saw him, but she tried. "I don't know what to do." The words broke from her in a sob.