"He'll die of old age before I do," Martel drawls, with another one of those thin smiles - remarks around here do not require much softening, judging by how he doesn't bother either. The worst part is that he calls him brother not because of blood but because of love, and when he says this he doesn't say 'I will miss him when he's gone', though it's just as true as 'I hate him for being better than me'.

"At least he's not inclined to poison my wife just because I poisoned his the once. -actually, he congratulated me, after the shock wore off. I told her I'd be offended for the both of us if it hadn't derailed him so thoroughly."