"I can imagine," X said, less amused now and more solemn. He'd known the effect sending his message would have on Devin, but it needed to be done, and he hadn't thought at the time that Devin would have to rescue him from Bobby. She was nothing if not persistent.

X accepted Valdis's hand and pulled himself back to his feet, then bent to pick up the practice sword she'd knocked out of his hand. "My talent is from the Destruction tree," he admitted, albeit a little reluctantly. "I've been -- practising, a little, just in case. I can't shake the feeling the Dreaming gave them to us for a reason."