Wait, what? "Johnny struck you?" she translates, eyes widening. It's not that hard to imagine the lad lashing out (verbally if not physically), but it is hard to imagine the Balladeer doing anything threatening enough to warrant such a response. He might be blunt and unkind to one of his assassins (in a dream, no less), but to someone in the waking world? Someone who isn't even a murderer?

... He's not saying Johnny's a murderer, is he? He can't be.

She stops when he does, frowning up at him dubiously. "So you're saying he's... not normal." She knew that already. "Not safe." That's a bit more alarming, and harder to swallow, at least as far as she's concerned. He's talking about a young man who shrank from her as if her gentlest touch was a--a vicious blow, and that was before the poor lad fell apart in her arms. She can more easily imagine him harming himself than harming her.

"And he... did something... loud?" That part just doesn't make sense. "What, like he shouted at you?"