Eileen is still so young, Elisha thinks. She doesn't believe she is; the Deck considers it's people to nearly be adults at fifteen, when they can start challenging. That doesn't make it so. It certainly doesn't make it easy to fight. "As much as it doesn't feel like a good feeling," he says, "just remember that it is good that you feel it, princess. And it won't be so bad after a little while."

It's not that he wants her to hurt, of course. But he'd rather she feel this than the emptiness he had when he first arrived. He'd so much rather that.

"Do you want me to take you to see him?" he asks. Not now. But the stitching up won't take long, and he can tell that Somma isn't in any real danger. He can tell Somma knew that too.