"I did not know you had a wife. I am sorry for your loss." Aleksander said, his face stricken. He had never married but he had taken a few long-term partners over the course of his long years and had watched death claim them all.

Alina would have been different but as always, he tried to push his thoughts of her aside. That hoped-for future was gone and there was no use in dwelling on what might have been.

"It is hard. Grisha live longer then most because our connection with the Small Science but that only goes so far depending on how strong they are. I've seen too many I care about wither away and the pain never becomes easier."