He huffs out a similar not-quite-laugh, and risks closing his eyes again for a moment.




"The thing is," slower, "I don't think I can push through that last little piece of the Veil. It's like the Calling, you fight until you can't anymore. And I can't. I'm too damned tired."

He exhales.

"I just wonder what's taking them so long. Surely they've got to be tired of this, too, right? How much fun can it really be to fill a desire this mundane? Money, love, power -- no, no, I just want a nice soft bed and a cup of tea every now and then."