"Flatterer." He might have tried to force another bit of humour, but her words at the last made any response die on Anton's tongue. It didn't take away the heat of the gist, but it shocked him away from feeling it so greatly and that would take the edge away from Valdis too.

They were words he hadn't heard, or spoken, in a very long time. Five hundred years. The Dead Men didn't express their affection this way. "Is breá liom tú ró, mo leanbh," he said softly, and managed a smile. It fell a little flat, but not completely, and came out shades of wry. "I'm sorry I'm not ... better company, tonight."