“So I gather. I’m not at all insulted, to be clear. Some scientists are absolute dicks.”

Palamedes quickly turns serious again, offering a brief nod. “I understand. And if you can convince her to let me, I shall do my best to find a solution for you.”

He doesn’t explain why he understands: that he spent his adolescence desperately trying to save the life of the girl he loved, despite everyone’s insistence that it was impossible. But there’s enough weight in his voice to make clear that he isn’t saying so lightly.