"I do not know why she calls him that, but, yes. She was someone who knew Max well in the place he went to. And when I also arrived in that place, on that ship..." He presses his nose against their chest, breathing deeply to surround himself in their scent.

"I loved Max. In my own misguided way, I truly thought I was doing the best I could for him. But the fact remains that he was enslaved by me. She used every means you can imagine, and more that you never could, to make sure I never got close enough to him to resume that."