"When you talk like this, you sound less like the child I brought up and more like someone I hardly recognize."
The words caught him off guard. For a heartbeat, he wondered if she saw through him. But her expression carried nothing accusing, only weariness. He forced a small smile. "Then I'll try harder to sound like him."
She watched him a moment longer, but didn't press. Instead, she touched Jeriko's arm, holding it gently. "If he could speak, he'd tell you not to rush into this trip. He always thought you leapt before you looked."
"And I always thought he worried too much."
"You're more alike than you think," she said, her eyes still fixed on Jeriko. "That's why the two of you argued so often."
