Corbie had put the photos down on the table she was standing by and put her hands over her mouth in an attempt both to still them and to quiet herself. But it didn't work. The motion just transferred from her to the witchlights, which swirled and spun in the air about her body like giddy fireflies.

She hadn't noticed Alec at all until he'd spoken, and she turned to look at him. Her eyes were full of tears and, even behind her hands, her mouth was grinning fit to split her face. "Dunno what you mean."