'I hope so,' said Laurent, 'I will never know, now.' But he did hope for it, just as he knew that it would not be a smooth or easy process. Nothing worth having in his life ever had been, including Damen himself.

He was quiet for a bit, allowing Nicaise to absorb it all. 'I know that it is strange,' he said. 'But you will acclimate. It would please me greatly to see you thrive here as you could not at home.'