neglected to tell Quentis his actual name during this entire past lune? The thought tickled him comically, appealing to some dormant vein of humor, which had once run much nearer the surface.
He kept himself from smiling, knowing that Quentis was being quite serious.
'I am Bryck.'
'Bryck?' She seemed to be tasting the name.
'Yes. Bryck of U'delph.'
Those eyes blinked slowly. A glimmer came to them, and her expression shifted. 'Not the playwright?
'Well... yes.' He felt a curious embarrassment that he couldn't quite explain to himself.
Quentis regarded him through another longer silence. At last she said, 'I've always admired your work.'
Now he did smile at her, with a true warmth he hadn't felt for far too long.
