Cutter and Laiguline turned automatically. What he saw made both their hearts leap.
It was Claudia Brown.
There she was, a little different but still her. Perhaps things weren't so hopeless.
But then Laiguline hissed in shock, her ears lying flat against her skull as she backed up against his legs, and the name on his lips and his hope died as well.
Because there was no Leonidas, no mink perched on the woman's shoulder.
A snow white Arctic fox dæmon sat at her feet as she offered a hand.
"Please, call me Jenny. And this is Zurial."