"He also said that I would never get an apology out of you." There was a long pause. "I want one. Now." Xcor put aside his soup and found himself searching the wounds he had given himself, recalling all that pain, all that blood--which had dried brown on the floorboards beneath him. "And then what," he said in a rough voice. "You'll have to find out." Fair enough, Xcor thought. Without grace--not that he had any, anyway--he rose to his feet. At his full height, he was unsteady for too many reasons to count, and the off-balance feeling got even worse as he met the eyes of his... friend. Looking Throe in the face, he stepped up and put out his palm. "I am sorry." Three simple words spoken loud and clear. And they didn't go nearly far enough. "I was wrong to treat you as I did. I am... not as much of the Bloodletter as I thought--as I have e'er wanted to be."