The William of not-so-long ago would have been unsettled by the boy's silences, his self-command and brazen scrutiny. Sustained attention is rare where he comes from.

Here, it's promising. Something in him opens up, like a clearing in a dense forest.

William considers. He hadn't been thinking of himself when he'd asked, and lost--well, that's Dolores. It takes him a moment, some twists of thought, before he can admit that he's as lost to her as she is to him.

He nods, with a hint of formality. "Can you help me?"