wakeup call

"I'm so sorry to hear that," she said, her expression crumpling in concern for him. "That's terrible." Stranger or no, the brief tale roused her empathy. Nothing she could do or say would make it better, though, so she didn't quite know how to express that empathy. She hesitated, then said tentatively, "I am glad that you were able to find a home in Valhalla when you needed it. I don't know them well, but from what I learned from Tornach they're good people. They'll take care of you best they can." Tornach always had, for her. He'd never stopped caring about others, even though what he'd been through could have made him bitter and angry.