Sabriel stands still for a moment as well, wondering how long this has been eating away at him.

"Oh, my poor boy," she says eventually, soft and shaky, and she pulls him down to hug her.

"Sam. Sam, Death is scary. Even when you are born with the inclination... and I think you never were. We assumed- well, Ellimere is not as strong a Charter mage as you, and was always so well suited to follow Touchstone, and when I knew we were unlikely to have more children..."

She is silent for a moment, and does not let go of him. "I'm sorry. That must have been terrifying."