Laurent breathed in carefully through his nose. To his mind, Damen had housed precisely zero children, only an Akielon one year Laurent's junior, who Damen had met but a single time. He ignored it and went to the refrigerator, deciding to add a small salad to Nicaise's diet. He would need the iron.

'The food is from a restaurant,' he said, placing a small bowl of greens before Nicaise. He pulled the plastic silverware from the bag and used it to begin cutting the pheasant into portions appropriate for a sick child's stomach.

He looked up at Damen between strokes of his knife. 'You are letting out all the warm air.'