Distantly, she heard Conlan and Matt talking about to do with her. A small voice in the back of her mind was embarrassed. She was weeping in front of the entire group as they made their way into the keep. Matt had dried her tears before, youthful hurts and scabbed knees. Once when she had broken her arm falling off the Arlessa's wall, he had held her close and carried her to the healers, as she cried and cried. Conlan had never done so, but he, at least, knew her. The others in the group did not. Her inner self already feared their probing questions. Her heart was bleeding and she didn't think she would be able to take sympathy and questioning looks from anyone other that her family. Not that she blamed Conlan for giving her the news directly, in a public place.
Her body wracking sobs eventually dissolved into hiccuping gasps as she tried to catch her breath around her tears. Her hands tangled in Matt's shirt and she leaned heavily on him, feeling like her legs couldn't hold her up. Conlan was right. She needed Az. When the tears still streamed down her face, but the sobs had slowed and she could speak again, she tipped her face up at Matt. "Take me inside," she whispered, throat and lungs sore.