Sina didn't shout back to her, but her remaining presence in the garden after the creature's departure was indicated by the eerie flickering of green light against the wall of the dark courtyard. She was slumped against the gazebo, unconscious but alive, her mark spitting with a faint electrical sound. A tangle of roots and branches surrounded her in a protective shield, undoubtedly her own effort, and perhaps the reason she hadn't been able to calm the shard in time.