Page 138 of Bride of the Enemy Alien

We’re still here. Still us. Rhazek looks toward the wall as if he can see through it to the sky.

“Did it answer again?”

“No. Sky-watch has seen nothing since the pulse.”

“That does not mean nothing was heard.”

“I know.”

He rubs his thumb once along the side of my hand. “I am sorry.”

“For the signal?”

“For all of it.”

“That’s too much to apologize for before breakfast.”

“I can divide it into smaller pieces.”

He looks amused, which is good. I need that too.

“The signal is not yours alone,” I say. “That Gray bastard made the send. The machine was already listening. We stopped what we could.”

“I broke something I did not understand.”

“You also broke the leash.”

He looks away from me and lifts his free hand toward the scar at his throat, but stops before touching it.

“I still feel where it was,” he says.

“I figured.”

“It is quiet.”

“Good.”

“It may not always be.”

“Then if it gets noisy, you tell me.”

He looks at me. “I will tell you.”

“And Merra.”

A pause. He frowns, thinks for a moment, then nods.

“And Merra.”

“Look at you. Learning already.”

“I was told I am starting to know.”

I smile before I can stop myself. He remembers everything. I squeeze his hand.

“There is something else you need to decide.”

He stiffens, uncertain, and I read it wrong until I realize he thinks he screwed something up.