“I’m glad for you,” Niko says, blinking away the moisture from his eyes. “You need not apologize for finding happiness.” The general’s face softens with gratitude. “Thank you. And Aneniko . . . I’m sorry for your loss.” No one else has acknowledged the personal loss that Niko suffered. Sometimes he wonders if he even has the right to feel the way he feels. He nods, also grateful, and they leave it at that.
