The burst of relief that hits Kai when the door opens is absurd, and he knows it. There's no reason any elfin presence should make him feel the slightest bit better. But his mind feels clearer, like his vision works a little better. It's like having a hangover wear off, except there's no way Kai drank near enough to be hungover.

It's enough to keep the usual fight or flight instincts from kicking in, along with a knowledge deeper than anything Kai's been told, that he shouldn't be surprised to see Marco now.

"You here to negotiate a surrender?" He's heard some of the mutterings of people convinced he's wasting their time and the stock to handle the situation like this.