1:17

Her eyebrows go up. He sags with relief. Are you feeling okay?

If you say so, she says. Is he going to try and kill me if I let him go?

Kaliff has been working away at the gag. He manages to spit it out. I don’t want to kill you, you fucking lunatic, he says. We came here to find you.

She turns to look at you. You sit on the floor. It’s all too much. It’s true, you say. He won’t hurt you.

This isn’t a rescue, then? She says it mildly, but you know there’s a razor blade hidden in the candyfloss. You’re here because you want something?

A hundred excuses rush to your lips, but what’s the point? She wasn’t a fool before and the solitude hasn’t blunted her. Why waste time denying the obvious?

Yes, you say. You should tell her why you’re here, but your thoughts are moving too slowly, and the way the sunlight touches the dust motes swirling in the air bewitches you. You should be talking, but you aren’t. It’s pretty, isn’t it? The way they dance.

Kaliff steps into the silence.

A Helian is dying, he says. And we’re going to take its corpse.

Helians don’t die, Luce replies flatly.

This one is.

How do you know?

Because I have the word of God Himself. He drools in my ear while I sleep.

Anyone closer to reality?