Seeing a tiger with Daine's head wasn't much better than seeing a tiger with a human mouth. Thomas tried to pull himself together. She was like a strange sort of manticore, or chimera. "Pardon my staring," he said as he managed to sit up. He looked at the cottage, since that seemed a far safer place to look a tthe moment.

"What sort of magic? he asked, wondering. "Oh, I'm alright. Startled out of my wits, but I'm alright."