Erik? For a good minute Bran was silent, utterly puzzled. Why was she calling him Erik if she thought he was just a figment of her imagination? Granted, most people would think talking to your imaginary voice was crazy, but maybe thinking of him as someone else made her feel less... insane. Lotte couldn't possibly think he was doing this, or she would have called him by his actual name, not his fable. That must have been it - calling him Erik did make the most sense, if something had to be chosen to refer to him as. He sighed in relief, realizing almost too late that he had to respond.
"You're welcome, Lotte." With a faint smile of pleasure, he fell back on his bed, leaning against the headboard. There was still reason for him to stay after all, it seemed.