The time between Dain and Tuo exiting the kitchen and departing the house is long enough that Lorne guesses some more private farewells were had. He remains seated until the door finally opens and closes again, not wishing to disrupt the pair and still absorbing all he's learned. Pieces of the puzzle have been added to the board, but the full picture remains well beyond him.

Dain, a Shepherd who joins snowball fights and protects a Profane. Probably many more, for only saving Detlef from execution and not others makes little sense. Tuo, a traveling puppeteer from some foreign country Lorne doesn't even know the name of. A cheerfully irreverent storyteller, sharing any tale but his own. How long have they known each other? How long have they been apart?

Decades of church sermons would have Lorne turning Dain and Detlef in, believing that they are dangerous and evil and here to corrupt anyone they can get their hooks into. Would have quashed the careful tenderness between Tuo and Dain. What the church declares to be right would end lives and annihilate joy. He's seen what it has taken from Colin and Camilla.

Lorne will take their friendship over what is 'right', any day.