Dante

The conversation with Rafael happened the following morning in the map room, which had become the place where real conversations happened by virtue of being the room where real things had been decided for long enough that the habit had set in.

Marcus was present, which Rafael had agreed to when I asked. Kira was on my right. Rafael sat across from us with the particular quality he had now, post-operation, the performance fully set aside in a way I didn't think he could entirely reinstate ...