A/N: Chapter updated (22/01/2023)


After a night of dreamless sleep, he woke slightly confused, with a vague memory of the previous day. For a moment he held out hope that it was all a bad dream, but to his disappointment, it all turned out to be real.

He was in a large room with sparse furniture. Other than a vase full of flowers, the rest was functional rather than decorative: a full-height wardrobe with mirrored doors, a dresser, two nightstands, one of which was empty, the other held a stack of books and various trinkets. Next to the heavy drapes covering the windows was a dressing table full of scattered bottles and jewellery. Clearly, this was a woman's bedroom and the woman was still sleeping curled in the armchair, clinging to the pillow for dear life while one of her long legs was hanging out from under the blanket. Her breathing was even and her face relaxed, with no trace of the worry and sadness from the night before.

He sighed. It wasn't the worst place to be in, nor the worst sight to wake up to. Remembering what she showed him, he wrapped himself in the towel and proceeded to the lavatory without waking her.

After dealing with the pressing call of nature, he took his time washing his hands and inspecting himself in the large mirror above the double vanity. He was as gaunt as ever, but there were no traces of his battle injuries, not even a faint red mark. Just his old scar across his left eye. In fact, he looked quite healthy, although it might be partially due to the golden-red hues of morning light coming from the window just below the ceiling.

He rolled his shoulders and tilted his head to one side then the other, awkward in his own skin. Perhaps putting on his clothes would make him feel more like himself. He found them near the tub with his wolf's head medallion caught in his shirt, but they were anything but clean, his trousers were ripped and bloodied. So instead he grabbed the clean white robe off the hook and stuffed his medallion in its pocket.

As he looked around the room, his vision got blurry, so he made his way back into the bedroom. He was aiming to get to the bed, but only got as far as the armchair and leaned against the backrest. His weight pushed the chair forward, causing the sleeping woman to jump up, frightened.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you... or scare you," he said, fully aware that waking up to a mutant towering over her wasn't the best sight, but as soon as she laid eyes on him, worry replaced fear.

"Here, sit." She gestured for him to take her place.

"No, don't get up. I'll be fine. I just need a moment."

"Sit." Her tone left no room for debate. "You're anything but fine, and I need to pour more energy into you before you lose consciousness."

He hesitated, the memory of her painful healing was still fresh in his mind.

"If you want to get back to Ciri, you need this. Besides, with each transfer, the tether will extend and you'll need it less."

The thought of Ciri got him to grit his teeth and sit. He leaned back into the backrest and closed his eyes, bracing himself. Her hand touched his chest, but instead of the pain he expected, pleasant warmth spread under his skin and through his limbs. To his surprise, his medallion didn't react although it should have vibrated in response to the magic that flowed through him.

When he opened his eyes, he was met by her gaze as she leaned over him, staring intently.

"What?" he asked, feeling studied like a curiosity. It wasn't the first time a mage had taken a scientific interest in him and that seldom boded well for his chances of getting out unscathed.

"How are you feeling? Was there any pain?" she asked, looking hopeful.

"No, I felt some warmth, that's all. It... wasn't unpleasant." On the contrary, it had been quite pleasant, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

"Perfect!" A genuine smile set in as she spoke. "It seems you needed energy with a more subtle quality to it. It's very rare for a warrior to use such energy since most use raw primal energy. But now that I know what you need, it'll be much easier. I just have to figure out the optimal interval between therapy sessions. You're rebuilding much faster than anticipated."

"Good, then maybe I won't be stuck here for a year."

She made to answer, but his stomach growling loudly interrupted her.

"That's a good sign," she said, smiling. "Hunger means your body is getting back to normal."

She turned to walk out of the room and the tether left him little choice but to follow. As he got up, his senses were sharper and he was invigorated. Everything had been muted and dull until then. Now colours were brighter, and his hearing caught all the small noises around him, including a strange hum he hadn't noticed before. He scented the air. An alluring blend of apples, caramel and lime came from the bottles on the dressing table and the sorceress's skin.

For a second, the avalanche of new sensations overwhelmed him and he stopped in his tracks.

"Coming?" she asked gleefully from the doorway.

Her success in treating him had put her in a good mood and she was nothing but smiles. There was something so infectious about it that he couldn't muster his usual scowl as he came to her side.

He walked into the next room, following behind her. With the curtains drawn to the side of the floor-to-ceiling windows, sunshine flooded the room, making him squint before adjusting his pupils to the increase in light. The view outside confirmed his suspicion that he wasn't anywhere near home, not that it mattered much; his biggest problem was that he was tied to yet another sorceress and apparently no longer had a soul.

He sized up the room in a glance, focused on following her into the dining area. A sizable sofa with a table in front of it sat on a fluffy rug. On top of a credenza stood a rectangular black glass, while somewhere to the side a large desk accompanied by shelves and a bookcase was in slight disarray.

"I'll show you later how everything works in the apartment and where I keep the food, but for now I'll cook us something." She hummed. "Maybe an omelette." She gestured to the chairs tucked under a stone top. "Have a seat."

She opened a tall door and pulled out eggs, butter, milk and some vegetables, then got started on making them breakfast.

He watched her with interest, expecting her to enchant the utensils to cook the food in her stead, but she was doing it the old-fashioned way.

"Don't you have servants or slaves for that?" he asked, pointing at the food.

"Few have servants, and no one has slaves. Most people cook for themselves or order, but I prefer to make my own food when I have time." She gave him a furtive look and sighed. "I assume you realize you're not on your home world."

"Mhm," he agreed. "That much is obvious from the view outside."

"You're taking the news much better than I expected."

"I don't have many options, now do I? Might as well try to wrap my head around it."

"Oh, I almost forgot, I took the liberty of casting a translation spell on you that makes your Common Speech sound to everyone else like the language we use here and will allow you to read and understand everyone. Normally, I'd have asked first, but there wasn't an alternative."

"Fair enough," he said, still watching her cook.

"Since we're stuck with each other, and I'd rather not quit my job, I'll have to take you to work with me on Monday. Meaning in three days' time. This reminds me, I have to call someone to stand in for me today."

As she said that, she took a small rectangular item from the counter, touched it a few times and made it glow, then put it up to her ear. He could hear a woman's voice coming through it.

"Criss, you flake! Where were you last night?"

"Sorry, Elly, I know I promised, but..." She fixed her eyes on Geralt for a moment. "Something happened..."

"Nothing bad I hope..."

"No, not bad, just... unexpected. And speaking of that, I have a favour to ask. Can you stand in for me today?"

"Must be serious if you're missing work."

"It is, or I wouldn't ask."

"Alright, happy to help a friend in need. See you on Monday then?"

"Sure, see you then. And thanks a bunch! You're a life saver!"

With that, the conversation was over and she returned to cooking.

"So, what does a sorceress do for work in this world?" he asked, dreading that he'd have to deal with court pomp.

She snorted a laugh. "If you mean in general, I wouldn't know what to tell you, since I don't know of any others aside from myself. In fact, no one believes in magic in this world."

"Your kings must be thrilled."

"We don't have kings either. At least most countries don't."

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Then who rules the countries?"

"Most countries are democracies. It's a by the people for the people type of thing... at least in theory, practice is a little different, but I'd rather not go into politics."

"Alright, but you still haven't told me what you do for work."

"I'm an architect, but I mostly teach about it at the local university." She paused for a bit, then continued. "It's clear that our worlds work very differently. I'll have to teach you some things about mine to fit in."

"Sounds tedious."

She laughed. "I reckon it will be. But it's kind of necessary."

"Probably. Little of what I've seen so far resembles my world, but I'll adjust."

She measured him with a look of approval. "I like your attitude." She continued to explain. "Since there's no magic, this whole world is based around technology and devices like the one I just spoke through. That's a communication device called a phone and it can be used to talk to or see other people across the world just as long as you have their number."

"Like a xenovox or a megascope."

"To be honest, I don't know what those are, but if they serve the same purpose, then you're right. Hopefully, you'll get the basics of this world by Monday. I can say you're travelling from abroad to excuse your ignorance about some things, but no one will believe you if you say you don't know what a phone is or the internet."

"The internet?"

"That requires a more complicated answer. I'll explain, I promise. But we'll start with something more practical after breakfast. Learning on an empty stomach can be particularly difficult."

She smiled while she spoke, but her eyes were on her task. The food was done and she was busy dividing it onto two plates. She chopped some fresh tomatoes and poured buttermilk into a couple of glasses, then pushed one plate and glass in front of him. The smell made his mouth water and the taste proved to match. She sat down next to him to eat, stealing glances in his direction from time to time.

The food improved his mood so much that he wondered if she had mixed in some soothing magic into it.

He was halfway through his plate when a device mounted on the wall rang and interrupted their breakfast. After she pressed a button on it, a man's polite voice greeted her.

"Hi, Tom. Hope your morning is going well," she replied.

"It's all good. I'm just finishing my shift and it's been pretty quiet. I was calling to let you know that there are some packages here for you. The courier just dropped them off, and I thought to ask if you needed me to bring them up before I leave."

"Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you and I'd very much appreciate it."

"No problem, I'll bring them up in a few minutes."

"Thanks again!" She turned off the device and turned back to him.

"Your clothes have arrived." He lifted an eyebrow in surprise, so she continued. "I ordered some things last night while you were still bathing. Don't suppose you want to live in that bathrobe for long. Hope I got your size right, but if not I can always return what doesn't fit."

If his past experiences were anything to judge by, whenever women chose things for him to wear, he always ended up in itchy, puffy, too tight and generally uncomfortable doublets.

"I appreciate the thought, but I prefer my own clothes. The only thing I could use right now is a hair tie."

"Just give them a shot. If you don't like anything I chose, I'll help you order something more to your liking. As for hair ties, there are some simple black ones on my dressing table in the bedroom. Feel free to have your pick."

Another ringing sound, this time coming from the hallway, interrupted the conversation.


Tom was already at the door with her package. When she answered, the young man standing in front of her smiled and started making small talk.

"Lovely morning, Miss, here's to hoping this pleasant weather holds up."

"Mhm, indeed." She kept her answer brief and cleared her throat to let him know she wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. Having caught on, the man simply pointed to the multiple packages stacked on top of each other on a trolley.

"These arrived for you. They're quite heavy. Perhaps you need me to carry them in?" he asked cheerfully.

She was about to answer when she saw the disappointed look on his face and realized that Geralt was standing behind her in a bathrobe.

His voice rumbled like low thunder. "I'll get those."

She stood there trying to smile while Geralt carried the heavy packages in as if they weighed nothing. The young man's thoughts were practically written on his face and she couldn't blame him. She knew how it looked. Hoping that he would keep the information about her guest to himself, she thanked him again and tipped him generously.

"Well, that turned awkward fast," she said as she closed the door. Geralt was looking at her unphased.

"Do you think my eyes scared him?"

"Your eyes?" she asked, confused. "No, in this place people go head over heels trying to be accepting of everyone. You could have three arms with one growing out of your forehead and no one would dare say anything."

"Really?" His eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe. This may be a different world, but in my experience, eyes like mine make people assume they're dealing with some kind of dangerous monster."

"Doubt anyone will think that about you. If he even noticed, he probably assumed those were contacts." She came up to take a closer look. "Mm, they're not even obvious unless someone really stares at you and the light is just right."

Their eyes met and for a moment her heart raced as she remembered that once upon a time in a dream she had looked into those eyes and had felt what it would be like to be touched by him. She shook her head and took a quick step back, catching herself.

"The food must be getting cold," she said as she hurried back into the kitchen and away from his shrewd gaze.

He sat beside her and dug into his meal in silence. The interruption had made her lose her appetite, but seeing him enjoy her cooking put a smile on her face.

She was still chasing a piece of omelette around her plate when he stood up to move the packages into the bedroom.

"I'm glad to see you're giving them a chance."

"Might as well," he replied with a shrug. He grabbed a large package and stopped in the door frame. "Is the leash long enough or do I have to wait for you to finish your food?" he asked. A tinge of annoyance coloured his voice.

"Please don't call it that," she said with a sigh. "It's not a tool for control."

She got off the chair and joined him by the door.

"The tether is short for now, so I'll wait on this side while you change."

He hummed in response and shut the door, leaving her with her thoughts. His changing mood worried her. Over breakfast he had been coping well, but once the packages arrived something shifted. She rubbed a hand over her weary face, realizing her mistake. In her rush to be helpful, she didn't stop to think how it would look to him. To his eyes, she was robbing him of choices. Trapped in this strange world with her, unable to go anywhere without her by his side, it was difficult to think of himself as anything but her captive. Perhaps it would have been different if he knew what she was sacrificing to help him. She shook her head. No, she wouldn't burden anyone with her problems. This was her debt and her doing. But the claustrophobic feeling was already creeping in. She was stuck in this world, away from anyone who knew the real her.

For both their sakes, this arrangement had to come to an end sooner rather than later. After all, he was rebuilding faster than expected, so if she pushed herself harder, then she could heal him faster.

As she was planning her next steps, the bedroom door opened and she couldn't help a smile.

"Mhm, you clean up well," she said eyeing him from head to toe. "Glad to see you've found something you like."

He was dressed in a light pair of jeans and a white buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Part of his hair was neatly tied back. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking down, somewhat embarrassed.

"Well, to be honest, these are not too bad. I have no idea what passes for fashion around here, but at least they're comfortable. Is this considered appropriate?"

"More than appropriate! You look dashing."

He gave her a small smile that chased away her earlier worries. Maybe they'd get along after all. She meant to say something, but as she took a deep breath, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Mm," she hummed, taking a step towards him without thinking.

"I accidentally spilt something on my hands," he said, trying to wipe his hands on his shirt.

"It's cologne and it smells great on you," she said closing her eyes in delight for a moment.

He cleared his throat and she stepped back, embarrassed and blushing. Giving compliments to a taken man wasn't the best idea. Even if they were innocent, Yennefer certainly wouldn't like it.

"So what now?" he asked, breaking the silence that threatened to become awkward. "Want to start teaching me about technology?"

"If you're willing, sure."

She started with practical things and over the next couple of hours she showed him how everything worked in her apartment, then told him a bit about the day-to-day life in her world. He took everything in much faster than she thought possible, but although his ability to learn was quite impressive, she didn't want to push him too much on his first day.

"You're an outstanding student," she said, thinking that a little encouragement never hurt.

"You're not a terrible teacher either," he said, grinning.

"Such high praise," she laughed. "Considering it's my job, it would have been shameful if you thought I was a terrible teacher. And as any good teacher knows - breaks are important. So how about meanwhile we work on getting you better?"

He nodded, smiling, and relaxed as she put her hand on his chest once again. They were standing in the kitchen - a poor choice in retrospect. She focused and selected the stream of energy suitable for him and directed it through her body, into him. Their energies were similar enough, so she attempted to further attune to him to hasten his healing, but as she did, the world grew dark around her.

When she came to, he was gripping her arms to support her and a strange energy came off his hands that made her skin pleasantly tingle. He studied her with a piercing gaze.

"What was that? Your heart almost stopped beating."

She righted herself and rubbed her neck. "I wasn't dying if that's what you thought. It felt like falling asleep. I'm not sure why this happened. Attuning to you doesn't seem to work as it should. Perhaps it's because your physiology allows your heart to beat much slower than mine possibly can when I'm awake. Normally, I'd mirror..." She stopped herself from rambling further about the inner workings of her healing magic.

"Whatever that was, it didn't happen this morning," he said, shrewdly.

"No, because I was trying something different to hasten your healing. I assume that's what you want."

"Sure, but if you die, so do my chances of getting back to Ciri."

"Don't worry, I won't die. I'll at most fall asleep."

"So you can still heal me?"

"Yes, but it won't be as effective."

"Just my luck..." He sighed, disheartened and released her arms.

"Coffee," she said, a thought crossing her mind.

"Huh?"

"Coffee, it's a common drink here. It raises blood pressure and can accelerate one's heart rate. People commonly use it to stay awake."

"So if you drink it, you can stay awake," he said with renewed hope.

"Oh, no, it's not for me, it's for you." Her index poked his chest lightly and she felt that strange energy coming off him again. "Maybe if I bring your heart rate up, then I can match it without falling asleep."

He looked at her with distrust.

"Then it might not work. Very few things increase my heart rate." He paused. "Still, I'm willing to try it. Can't be any worse than my own potions."

"The only problem is that I don't have any in the house. We need to go to the store to buy some."

"Alright, let's go," he said already heading for the door. "No point in wasting time. Hopefully, with what I've learned, I won't seem out of place."

"Wait," she said, smiling. "I appreciate your eagerness, but I can't go out in my pyjamas. Let me wash up and get dressed."

He looked her up and down as if it was the first time he noticed the clothes she had on.

As she got ready, he followed her quietly and watched from a distance while she picked out a pair of skinny jeans and a loose sleeveless top with a deep v-neckline, then waited next to the bathroom door until she showered, got dressed and put on makeup.

He watched her with curious eyes while she pulled out a pair of heels from her wardrobe.

"What?" she asked. "You're staring."

"Is that considered appropriate attire?"

"Of course it is," she said, offended by the implication that she didn't know how to dress. "We'll have to drive there."

"In one of those cars you told me about?"

"Mhm. It's nearly impossible to get any shopping done without one."

He just shrugged and followed her out the door, into the building's common hallway. As they walked to the elevator, he looked around to get his bearings, studying the numbers on the doors as they passed. His eyes were observing her every movement. He was learning while watching her, and the fact that he was doing it instinctively spoke volumes about his intelligence.

The elevator went down to the underground level where her car was parked and, as they moved past the rows of cars, she thought he could use some more advice.

"When we get to the store, there will be many other people and some will have a different skin colour. I don't know what you're accustomed to, but here you shouldn't stare too much at anyone."

"I'm used to seeing elves, gnomes, halflings, dwarves, and many other creatures. Skin colour holds no importance for me. Besides, I'm usually the one being stared at."

"And why is that?"

"Oh, just the usual reasons... my eyes, the scar on my face... maybe the hair..."

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

She unlocked the car, and they both got in.

"You need to put on your seatbelt." He looked around, confused, so she reached over him to grab the band and fastened it herself.

She backed out of the parking space, put the car in first gear, and turned towards the ramp that led up to the exit. He looked relaxed next to her.

"How do you feel about driving so far?"

"It's much slower than I imagined, but much smoother than riding a horse."

She smiled, amused by his comparison.

"Once we're on the road, we'll go much faster."

She turned the car onto the road. There wasn't much traffic, so she accelerated and quickly switched gears, settling into fourth. The only thing missing was some music, so she turned on the car radio and the station was playing "Edge of Seventeen". Her hands moved to the rhythm on the steering wheel while she hummed the tune softly.

She turned to check how Geralt was adjusting and the sight that met her got her grinning and shaking her head. He had the seat and the armrest on the car door in a death grip so tight that his knuckles had turned white. She moved one hand from the wheel and placed it on his arm, trying to reassure him that all was fine. Instead, his muscles tensed under his shirt sleeve.

"Shouldn't you be holding on to that thing with both hands?" Despite his effort to keep his voice steady, it betrayed his panic.

For a second she considered taking both hands off the wheel to show him the steering assist feature on the car, but she doubted he'd find it amusing. Instead, she moved her hand back to the wheel and continued to drum to the beat of the song while watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"Relax. The car has safety features that act as a failsafe in case I make a mistake."

His grip relaxed a bit, but he still didn't let go. She shook her head, disappointed.

"If this arrangement is going to work, you're going to need to trust me."

"Trust needs to be earned," he replied.

"What if I promise never to lie to you? Would that help?"

"It would help if I actually believed you. This morning you were perfectly capable of lying to your friend, so forgive me for being skeptical."

"I didn't lie to her, but I only told her the bare minimum. You forget that this world doesn't believe in magic. You can't expect me to tell her that a powerful descendent of an Elven bloodline opened a portal into my bedroom and dropped off her father so I could heal him. She'd look at me like I was crazy."

"Fair," he agreed with a tilt of his head.

"In a strange way, you've seen more of the real me than even my closest friends."

"For now." She quirked an eyebrow at him and he continued to explain. "You might end up erasing my memory again."

"I won't," she said adamantly.

"You say that now, but what if the Hunt shows up? What then?"

"Then I stay and we either win or lose together." She sighed and shook her head. "I won't disappoint Ciri again."

"Last night you told me Ciri saved your life," he said after a moment's thought. "What happened?"

This was something she hadn't told a soul. Even when he and Yennefer had asked her on the island, she had lied to them. She had to gather herself before answering and even so, she couldn't suppress the sadness in her voice.

"I was seventeen and had recently discovered travelling between worlds. In my exploration, I stumbled across the Aen Elle world. Fascinated with their beauty and culture, I was dumb enough to let them know I had odd abilities. One moment I was having tea with an Elven sage, the next I was his captive. He used potions to numb and cloud my mind, to keep me from using magic to escape. He experimented on me to see how fast I could heal. First, he only made small cuts, then he grew bolder, he..." Her voice choked as the memory of the pain came flooding back and she couldn't continue.

He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "And Ciri freed you?"

She nodded. "For a while, they held us in the same room to scare her into submitting. Through the haze, I remember her explaining what they wanted from her. A child with Elder Blood, the Lara Dorren's gene, someone they could control to open the Gate between worlds. They were trying to convince her to willingly sleep with their king in exchange for her freedom while I was to be vivisected in the hopes that I could cure their infertility. If Ciri hadn't broken us out of there..." her voice trailed. "I don't even remember how she did it, I just remember a unicorn."

Silence fell between them, and she kept her eyes on the road for the rest of the drive. Finally, she had told someone, and although it dug up dark memories she had long buried, it was strangely therapeutic.

She pulled into a parking space and stopped the car before looking to see him staring back at her with a stony expression. Her heart sank at the thought that maybe Ciri hadn't told him what she went through.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew what they wanted from Ciri. I can't imagine how it is to hear someone wanting to do that to your daughter. Should've just kept quiet," she said, shaking her head.

"I don't know what you're sorry for. I was the one stirring painful memories."

She shrugged. "It's been a long time and I've made my peace with what happened to me."

"At least now I understand why you ran." He huffed. "You must really hate them."

"I did for a while, but what's done is done. No use wasting my energy on hate. It's better to focus on the good that came from it. I got to meet Ciri and that made me feel less alone." She unbuckled his seatbelt and gave him a smile. "Come on, let's get coffee."


It was the middle of the day, so there were barely any customers in the store. She grabbed a small basket and walked along the aisles.

"Feel free to look around and grab anything you like since we're here. I'm in the mood for some ice cream or chocolate."

He just shrugged, and she feared her story had soured his mood for the rest of the day.

She walked through the different aisles towards the coffee and sweets section. It had been so long since she last bought it, that she didn't know which one to choose. She looked through the shelves and some brands brought back memories from her university days when she used to drink gallons of the stuff. Now she only ever had it when she went out with Elly or when nostalgia hit her.

By the time she finally decided on a brand, she turned to find that Geralt was nowhere in sight. The idea of him getting sick because she wasn't paying attention horrified her. She needed to find him before anything bad happened, so she focused on the tether to point her in the right direction. Thankfully he was in the next aisle, so she breathed out in relief and headed his way.

When she rounded the shelves and saw him, her eyes widened in surprise. He was being chatted up by a blonde woman that must have been in her early twenties. She was giggling, grabbing his arm and feeling him through his shirt, clearly flirting with him as she handed him a piece of paper. He looked to be enjoying the attention.

Her chuckle must have been loud enough for him to hear because he turned his head towards her with a look of annoyance that made her outright laugh as she approached him. The blonde looked at her, then winked at him and mouthed "Call me!" as she turned and left.

"She gave me her phone number," he stated with a somewhat smug smile.

"It seems you can't be left alone for a second near the female population! I don't know who's more in danger, you or them!" She snorted. "Oh dear, Yennefer will burn my face off if she finds out I didn't keep an eye on you! That would be a bitch to regenerate! If there's one thing I remember about her, is that she's very possessive."

"Yennefer doesn't give a fuck," he said with a grimace. "And anyway, unless you're willing to make it a threesome, it's not going to happen, now is it? Not with the tether anyway."

Shock wiped the smile off her face.

"Yennefer cares very much. When they brought you, she was very worried about your wellbeing and..."

"My wellbeing," he repeated in a sarcastic voice and snorted. "She cares for Ciri, but she doesn't care who I... whose phone number I get. She wanted to dispel the bond that linked us - my ill-advised last wish. To know if any of it was real. We found a djin and got him to undo the spell. As it turns out, it was all magic, none of it was real and we're finally free of the compulsion it caused. When we're done dealing with the Hunt, she wants to find Istredd and finally live her life and I'm happy for her. She deserves to be with someone she actually loves."

"And you?" she asked, taken aback by his story.

"I... I'm free to get as many phone numbers as I wish... Haven't you heard? Mutants have no emotions and aren't capable of love. Whatever I thought I felt was a lingering somatic response mixed with the djin's magic, and it's all gone now."

She didn't know what to say, so she remained silent. Maybe giving him some space to breathe would help calm him down although, in truth, a friend would probably be of more help.

"I want to grab a couple more things," she said after a long moment of awkward silence.

He followed her sullenly as she filled the cart with groceries, and showed him how to use the self-check-out to scan and pay for the items with a card. She wasn't sure any of it registered with him; he seemed to be in his own world.

"Just so you know, I know you're not emotionless," she said once they were back in the car.

"You don't know shit about me," he replied.

She wanted to say she remembered him being nice to her when she needed it, but that would just remind him of the memories she erased. So, instead, she gave him a technical explanation.

"Only those that have morals and compassion use subtle energy of the kind you seem to need, and it would be hard to be compassionate when you can't feel love. I don't know what you felt for Yennefer, but I'm sure you care for Ciri."

He didn't reply, but his face softened at the mention of his daughter's name.