[Fay helps him across the thread that bridges their minds, inviting him to stand in the shallows of her own thoughts. Her own shields are solid, impenetrable things, impossible to see or sense through.]

Here.

[She wraps on one with her fist—as she said, the mind for the blood is an almost physical space. They don't occupy their bodies inside her mind, but their forms are present in front of her shields.

Carefully, she lets part of one shield fade. Beyond it, another stands tall and imposing.] Beyond that are more personal thoughts, less the fleeting "I'm so hungry" or "Verim's knee is in my kidney again" thoughts and more... "I'm afraid if Verim doesn't move his knee I might yell at him and hurt him." That kind of thing.

[She invites him closer, letting him inspect the shield in her mind.

It's simple, made of clean lines, and gives the impression of steel.]

The shields are as much to keep others out and your thoughts in as they are to protect you. I've been building these for... [A thoughtful noise.] Fourteen hundred years. So don't expect yours to be as big or as grand straightaway.