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A male voice came from somewhere behind a half-open interior door.

“If you are bleeding, sit down. If someone else is bleeding, bring them in. If nobody is bleeding, leave.”

Talia looked at me. “I like him already.”

“You have not met him.”

“I have enough evidence.”

I crossed the room and pushed the door open.

Darev looked up from a tray of medical instruments.

He had aged. Not significantly. Enough.

His hair had gone almost entirely gray at the temples, and the dark green ŭre beneath his forearms pulsed once when he saw me, then stopped.

He stared.

I waited.

Talia stood just behind my shoulder.

Darev’s gaze shifted to her, then back to me, then to her again. His eyebrows rose.

“No.”

I frowned. “No what?”

“Whatever this is.”

Talia leaned slightly around me. “That is also what I would like explained.”

Darev pointed at me with the instrument in his hand. “You.”

Then at Talia. “You.”

Then between us. “No.”

I stared at him.

Talia folded her arms. “This is going well.”

Darev set down the instrument and walked closer. He ignored me completely.

His attention settled on Talia. “Human.”

“Yes.”

“Unbonded?”

Her expression hardened.

I noticed immediately.

Darev did too.

Good.