Page 90

“And when I mentioned multiple dead warriors connected to human compatibility data, you stopped treating this like my problem and started treating it like yours.”

His expression changed. Not much. Enough.

I felt a grim little surge of satisfaction. “See?”

“Talia.”

“No. You don’t get to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Say my name like it ends the conversation.”

“I use your name because it is your name.”

I closed my eyes for a second. “Unbelievable.”

“I am standing directly in front of you.”

“That expression means something different.”

“I know.”

My eyes opened.

For one horrible second, I thought he might be joking.

His face gave nothing away.

I pointed at him. “That was deliberate.”

“No.”

“It absolutely was.”

He turned toward the food unit.

Coward.

The unit hummed softly when he opened it, spilling warm amber light across his hands. I watched him take out one of the packaged meals that came with the dwelling.

He inspected the seal. Of course he did.

Then the date.

Then, for reasons I couldn’t understand, the back of the package.

“What exactly are you expecting food to do to you?”

“Contain something.”

“It’s dinner.”

“That does not prevent contamination.”

I stared.

The package smelled faintly smoky when he opened it. Roasted grain, something that might have been meat, and a sharp spice I had learned was common enough on Zuna that nobody else seemed to notice it.