"They never stopped loving me, and they still care for me. But they have their own children as well, their own flocks to care for. Each of them asked before they left, not wishing to leave me, torn because they thought they were betraying my love." He took another sip of wine. "Do not mistake me, I enjoyed their company when they traveled with me, and I missed them when they left. But I was happy that they had made a life in Terre d'Ange, that they had found people who needed their love as much as they had needed mine. And through the whole thing I had my Cassiel, the most perfect companion I could have hoped for."

Of course Cassiel's opinion was very similar to the one that the Cassilines had, he had always looked down on the other Companions, as much as Elua would have liked his Companions to love each other as much as he loved them. But even he couldn't have everything that he wanted.