Obviously, you can't carve emotions off a creature like you would its meat. Adelis instead needs to drain life force through--essentially a kiss. ["direct mouth contact". It's just a kiss.]

He can, and does, moderate himself so that he doesn't take near enough to kill. Just enough to satiate the urge. And it's healthier for him, I think.

[Which comes to why Syrlya needs to tell Trahearne about this:] I have already promised him that he may come to me any time he needs to feed. I don't intend to go back on my word, but I wanted you to know that should he do so it is not a kiss out of... intimacy, or intent to betray you. It is not something he has a choice in, and he is not someone who trusts easily.

[Syrlya blinks rapidly, a little surprised when Trahearne asks after Mishka.]

Well, he is aware of what has become of Adelis, yes. It was something he witnessed in Ostoya. But Adelis has not wanted to share his current business, so we have not discussed that Adelis has not really been starving himself.

So, of course, I ask you not to share any of this, out of respect for Adelis. Not even what his condition requires of him, as I don't believe he is sharing that openly.

No, that was it. [He intends to take his crush to his grave, this is just Helping A Friend.] I wanted to make sure you were aware of the circumstance and there were no misunderstandings, should it come up elsewhere.

[Syrlya pouts a little.] I have no intention of letting Adelis overfeed for both our sakes. He never wanted to end up like this, but starving himself completely is surely worse.

Oh, sure. [Syrlya doesn't presume any closeness between them, so he figures it's a fair guess Syrlya will see Adelis sooner and more frequently than Trahearne will. Their farms are closer, anyway.

He moves to stand.] Then I'll stop distracting you from your work.

Oh? [Syrlya is suitably distracted.] Want to show off all your work, then?

[Oh he doesn't like the horses.]

I think I could find that agreeable. [He leans his weight a bit towards Trahearne as they leave, his hand settling over the one on his waist.]

[How about he avoids both of them.]

Yes, it's been an easy improvement when I'm not experiencing mine and everyone else's worst memories. [Seriously there was, like, one good one? It was Trahearne's? And even that was bittersweet to Syrlya.] For a resort, it wasn't very relaxing at all.

Oh, did you? [He remembers that memory, but like many he could not tell who was receiving in. Just that they were tremendously clumsy.]

Don't worry, Joko isn't a problem anymore. Aurene and Braham were right--eating him was a sure way to kill him.

I'm all right. [It's habit to say that, but just thinking about Joko (no deeper) doesn't dredge up harsh feelings.]

... And I'm sorry, but you did a terrible job with those traps.

What, was it hard to not be so tall as usual? [His expression twists with amusement.]

Mm. That was a little odd when I--[As he speaks, a hollow plastic folding table descends from the sky bounces off his head.

He staggers, bewildered.]