"No, you're not. And he's not." Ophidia sighed, and continued dabbing the blood away. "He couldn't think of how to tell you. It took me this long to be able to tell you, and we have a connection, and you did not exactly take it well."
Her lips quirked, faintly, a tiny smile that disappeared almost as fast as it had appeared. "Charlie...no one says that you're an animal. You're not one. He brought you here to protect you. We're not a freak show, we're outcasts, and we're people who could be hurt out there. ...And you are too. You're not invincible. ...I don't...want to see you hurt."