"Question." I said, after a long silence. "You were trying to close the gate, right?"

Quinn shrugged. "Rather, to prevent it from ever opening."

'Then why did the guardian spirits attack you?" My gaze fixed on his face. "Why, Harlech?"

To my utter shock and amazement the elf seemed unable to meet my gaze. "History," he said quietly. "I have…" He stopped and tried again. "I have… touched… this danger before," he went on. "The guardian spirits sense its taint on me." His lips quirked in a smile. "I wonder how they would react to you, Derek, should you go back there a second time?"

"No danger of that."

Quinn laughed softly. "I think I rather like you, Derek," he said. "Some of my contemporaries would laugh if they could hear me say this, but… I feel that you might just be a kindred spirit. Do you realize how rare that is?"

Now he did meet my gaze. I saw… something… in his eyes. If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought it was envy, or maybe even longing. Longing for something that had been lost, a long, long time ago. Stupid, of course.

I snorted, and I turned away. "Frag off, Harlech," I said. Then I yelled it, still not looking at him: "Frag off! Okay? Just get the fuck out of here."

I couldn't bring myself to turn around and look at him. I didn't dare-I was afraid of what I might see in his eyes.

I felt him stand up and hesitate a moment. Then I felt him stride away from me into the darkness.

"I don't need you!" I yelled after him without turning my head. "I don't need anybody!"

Everybody lies.

Even me.