"I've been told this place for years," she said, "as a place where Ryke was wasting himself. Running from responsibility. Playing at something instead of doing the real work." Her voice was analytical rather than bitter. "It doesn't look like a waste."
"It isn't," Duke said.
She turned to look at him.
"You're loyal to him," she said. "All of you."
"Yes."
"And to her. The woman."
"Neva," Duke said. Her name in his mouth was something he'd become careful about, in a way he hadn't needed to be careful about names before. He'd noticed this about himself the way he noticed everything — with the particular quality of attention reserved for things that were going to matter. "Yes."
She held his gaze.
He held hers.
"I didn't come here to take anything," she said finally. "I want to say tha
