With little delay, Nel pushes through her legs to aid her mother and shift over into her lap quite readily. She sinks in against her mother, relaxing into the support as much to have it as to simply be close. When her mother puts her finger lightly to the right spot at the center of her chest on level with her heart, she nods her head, “Yes.”

The warmth persists, and any check to her skin on her chest or back will reveal no marks or visible changes.

“All I did was get up to look in my terrarium...” she offers.