She drew breath when he finally said it. [i]Between a slave an animal.[/i] That’s what Ruli was telling her. She looked at him, remembering the way his body shook, the desperation in his voice while in the hot springs. The fact that it was Envy who had given him a name, an identity beyond that of some nameless thrall, underscored to her how important his bond with the Kartaian was, how he really was practically Ruli’s father. She felt a little guilty, then, knowing Envy had asked her to be careful with him. [i]Be careful with him,[/i] she reminded herself. “They—elves, I assume?” she asked, her pace matching his slow one, letting him have time to think. “And the poison, did they give that to you as punishment for something?” She paused, gauging his reaction. “If you don’t feel like answering more questions, just tell me.”