Animal fright does wake in Sherlock's body, of course: he may be an unusual man, but he is, as Nuada has observed, just a man. His heart is rattling along in his chest when Nuada leans in close and his breathing comes a little faster. Epinephrine isn't wholly unpleasant, though, nor the host of sensations it brings. Least of all for Sherlock Holmes.

Something new he hears himself say some three years ago of James Moriarty. Probably that's too much to hope for from Nuada Silverlance. Probably he should feel guiltier about that string of words.

"Then by all means," he answers, pale eyes fixed on Nuada's red ones and the gleam of the blade at the edge of his vision, "I'm all ears."