Page 176 of Light Leech

“What?”

She shrugged. “Unless you know something I don’t, there’s no point in planning.”

“But you said–”

“I said what I needed to get you out of the house–”

“Monastery.”

“Same thing. I’m not patient, Pet, and I doubt these people will be, either.”

“So we’re just going in blind?”

“Did we go into Nichley’s sea-operation blind?”

“Not really… maybe, but I mean… we had no idea that he was going to be using eel-child hybrids.”

“And we didn’t know that he was feeding light to a fetal god in a tear in the planet’s fabric.”

“Right.”

“So why plan for something we don’t understand when it could be overturned by some twist like that? Rely on me and your Gui and we’ll figure it out like we always do.”

“That’s a lot of faith.”

“In a world run by material things, it’s refreshing to trust in something beyond yourself every once and a while.”

“And your Gui?” I had to confront it, despite knowing the effect it would have on Ralia. The question stained the mood the moment the words left my lips.

At least I thought it did.

“He’s better than ever.”

I was wrong. She remained just as confident and pleased with herself as always. That stain was nothing more than my wavering confidence.

“What changed? I mean, I’m thrilled to hear that things are working out for you two, but I… I didn’t… expect this kind of reaction.”

“I won’t lie, it’s been hard to overcome my biases towards the Gui, but since seeing the strength of your bonds, I thought I would try my best. It wasn’t easy. Honestly, I lost hope until the end of the Standardized Test.”

“Then?”

“His demeanor changed. He was no longer a lurking specter pointing me in directions I didn’t trust, he wanted to follow my path.”

“He wanted to go to the moon?”

“Like a kid to an amusement park.”

Her answers were quick and she struggled to keep extended eye contact. There was something she wasn’t saying. I did my best to ignore it.

“Still, I’m sorry to say so, but I didn’t expect your opinion on the Gui to change so smoothly.”

She shrugged. “It must be something on his part. The past inhibitions have faded and turned to point us towards the moon.”

“After his brutal rage at the end of the Test?”

“The drive that saved us from utter failure? Yeah?”

“Does that same drive have anything to do with your need to drop everything and run to the moon before planning anything?”