“Yeah, yeah, I know. What you just said was Hindu.” She gave him a sly smile. “Sorry to steal your thunder. You get an unhealthy charge out of correcting me. Given your enjoyment of such childish pleasures, maybe your soul isn’t such an old and holy arhat after all.” A pause. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I had no right to shoot all that TriNA into Dek. Should have been his choice. Especially after it was my doing that infected him with Demon in the first place. I just made the problem worse.”

This time Shig sipped his wine when he lifted it to his lips. Took a moment to work it over his tongue. After savoring it, he finally swallowed. “Not Inga’s best,” he declared. “I’d heard she had a new petit sirah. I should have asked for her old cask of cabernet if she has any left.”

“Shig, seriously, what do I do about Dek?”

“There is nothing in the universe which does not either float or sink that remains the same over the course of its existence. You are changing, Talina. Perhaps you should allow Dek to help you over the rougher challenges of your own Tao.”

She slapped the bar with the flat of her hand. “I came in here wanting to kill something. Don’t drive me to it.”

“Would you seriously feel better if you walked down the bar and shot Hofer? I’ve seen you glance his way every time he mouths off. Come tomorrow, after the tamas has dulled, will you awaken refreshed that you maimed or killed him?”

“Well . . . you never know. It is Hofer, after all. If he wasn’t such a damn fine builder, maybe no one would miss him.”

“There is that. Now, how about we finish our drinks over amiable conversation. After which, you will go home and ensure that Derek Taglioni hasn’t come to grief in your absence. I give you permission to find out what Dek means to you, especially since I know what you already mean to him.”

“He didn’t share blood with Flute just to make me love him.”

“No. There is Donovan, and Kylee, and the Briggses, all of whom figure into his calculus, but ultimately, he knew it was the only way that you would ever take him seriously.” Shig raised a hand. “Wait, I know where that’s going to take you. And it will be a mistaken assumption. The Dek Taglioni I know fully understood that there was no implied obligation on your part. He still would have gone through with the infection and suffered the consequences because he wants to be part of this place.”

“You always did have a soft spot for him.”

Shig lifted his wine, smiled, and took a swallow. “Fortunately, that soft spot is something I don’t have to trip over like some obstacle in the path the way you seem to.”

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