Why was she bothering? After she'd promised herself that she wouldn't. After she'd sworn to herself that she would stay away from everyone, that she wouldn't let herself become invested in this world. There was an answer, but Re-l couldn't admit it to herself.

"You're useful," she said. "I may well need your help to get home. I have no intention of throwing away a valuable asset. Or letting you throw yourself away, for that matter."

Re-l stood up, flexing her bandaged hand. The other one remained loose at her side, waiting to be tied up. They were superficial injuries, hardly worth the effort of worry. Her ribs, taped up beneath her shirt, were considerably more painful.

She walked over to Gabriel holding out her right hand, with the handkerchief trailing around it.

"If you think you can manage, I could use a knot." The kitten trotted after her and tangled itself around her legs. She watched it with mild amusement. "Don't you want to go home?" she said. "You told me you had someone to go back to."

She didn't touch the part about him being dead. She didn't know what to think of that.