Thank God for that. [ He shakes his head lightly. ] I thought I was going crazy at first. Bothari understood from the outset, though ...

[ That fleeting thought about his bodyguard brings a sudden clash of memories. Deep, black guilt shot through with equally bright relief. Bothari, killed by Elena Visconti because he'd had the bright idea to reunite Elena with her mother. Except that wasn't how it had gone this time. The scene had still happened, but at the last moment - perhaps reacting to Miles' scream of guilt and sorrow over the link - Bothari had turned just enough to make the needler attack crippling rather than fatal. Miles goes very pale for a moment. ]

Bothari's alive. [ Said almost reverently, his voice (and the link) filled with muted gratitude. ]