[ Zel notices the absentminded gesture. To come so far, thinking you're on the cusp of achieving what you've always wanted, only to be so terribly mistaken...

He's not unable to sympathize.

If he's not careful, he'll sympathize more than he'd like.

In the end, Zel does laugh, but only a little. After all: ]

Lina took me by surprise, too. She can act like an idiot, but the reality is that she's as shrewd and brazen as anyone's ever been.

[ Shrewd, brazen, selfish, temperamental, and -- kind.

Better at understanding people than he's ever been. Ever will be. ]

You owe her more than you'll ever know.

[ Zel inhales like he's got more to say, though it takes him a second to find the nerve. ]

She had a theory. It was that Shabranigdu had gradually taken control of you. Naturally, I wasn't eager to believe it...

[ But.

The unspoken word hangs heavy in the air. ]