That must be why Cyrus handled it so well, Rhys thought. He hadn't seen his parents in a long, long time. That, and he must be a strong person, capable of dealing with such hardships, because if Rhys received word of his parents' deaths, even if it had been years since he had visited, he would be drowning in grief. Ike hadn't cried a single tear when his father passed! He had braved the ordeal with a strong heart and a clear mind.

"You're very strong to handle such a personal burden with light pain," he commended, smile returning mildly. "So you were raised by your grandfather, then?"