"I can't go back into the city like this," she said softly. If the emotions were this loud from this distance, the city would be too much for her. "It would kill me."

His cough broke the rain like a roar, not as loud as the thunder, but closer. Valdis tried hold back a whimper, but his next words were coherent enough for her to realize that something was very wrong. If their powers were going haywire, then this storm was more abnormal than she believed.

"I can't remember your name," she admitted, "It's like it's gone."

It hurt that she couldn't remember, his confusion seemed to match her own, leaving less of an impact than the voices of the city.