[The worst part of all of this, for Kit, is all of the familiar feelings this dredges up--familiar in a way that he hasn't had to think of in decades, that reaches back through the years of his life and places him in front of Beraht and Jarvia again as a young boy. He was Carta then, too.

...No. The worst part, he decides, is not knowing what to say.

He pushes a hand over the very fine growth of hair dusting the top of his head and grimaces; the silence stretches between them, though he doesn't mean to let it. Eventually, he sinks himself down atop whatever available surface there is for sitting and braces his weight on his knees.]

...what can I do, salroka? [he asks softly at length, almost pained by the asking of it.]