He paced before her and spoke for several minutes, growing more animated and agitated as she sat silently on the stone slab in a daze. His words came through to her muted as if he was speaking underwater, unintelligible.

“Malia, can you please say something?” He was kneeling in front of her now, his hand on her knee, his dark, brooding eyes swimming urgently.

“What?”

His countenance darkened—he realized she wasn’t really listening. She was ...