They finally entered the garden, which was as gorgeous as Espie had hoped and as peaceful as Sophie had promised. Some of the everpresent tension rolled off her shoulders as she walked on the soft grass and towards a bench where they could sit.

"Bladians are humans that have made pacts with Bloodsingers, which are like spirits, but not quite. They get a physical host and the Bladian becomes superhuman in almost every sense of the word. It has other less desirable effects though; Bladians have shorter, more violent lives than many." Sophie had managed to keep her eyes away from the girl, but once she's done she turns to see her face.