Ehren sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. He’d gotten next to no sleep after his argument with Akira. The way she had flinched away from him too. It stung more than he’d like to admit but she didn’t see it. For that, he was thankful.

“Another rough night?” Asena asked joining him as he made his way to the inn’s main room.

“About the same as the rest,” he replied around a yawn.

Asena raised her eyebrows and gave him a look that said seriously.

“She’s losing touch with reality,” he told her slowly. “She said as much last night when we argued.”

“Losing touch with reality?” Asena mused.

“Ok, that’s not the way she put it. She said she doesn’t even know what’s real anymore. She told me she can’t trust her own mind because the dreams are so real. I’m scared, Asena. Ok, more like terrified. I’m losing her to the dreams and Loki.”

Asena turned to him.

“It’s ok to be terrified,” she told him placing a hand on his shoulder. “Fear is part of what makes us human. The important thing right now is to just be there for her.”

“But how can I be there if I’m scared?”

“First, you need to tell her you’re scared. She’s terrified too. Sharing your fears with someone makes them easier to bear. True, your fears won’t vanish completely but they will be easier to deal with.”

“She wouldn’t let me touch her last night,” the dejection in his voice made him feel pathetic.

Asena sucked in a breath through her teeth.

“Damn that bastard,” she muttered.

Ehren looked at her quizzically.

“This is Loki’s doing,” she grumbled. “His curse is eating away at her mind, trying to get her to push us away and alienate her. He wants her isolated. It makes her an easier target. Whatever he wants from her, he intends to get it by weakening her mind. Her strongest asset just became her biggest enemy. Don’t let her push you away.”