Xander would be hard pressed to call it skill. He's always had his empathy; whether he wanted it or not. So he can feel it--so many people on this train are walking wounded anyway, with everything experienced so far, but this grief is so new and fresh, even if he wanted to ignore it, there's no way he could.

For an earth mage, Xander can be flighty; he's not sure at this point that he knows this lovely female more than from passing each other on the train or in the greenhouse car. But he knows he can't leave her like that, crumpled like a fallen flower.

Despite the fact that she's taller than he, Xander scoops her up into his embrace, will she, nil she, and wraps his wings around her and stroking her hair gently.