I respect your grief, Lexie. And I am sorry for your loss. [ His jaw is stubborn. ] But I am not going to be swayed to blessing this new Rifter just because you're in sorrow over the loss of his mirror image.

[ Then he looks away, and presses his hand to the desk, and says: ]

If any man were to speak of me this way - and knew you well enough to be speaking from true care, instead of from some smug pandering - And were speaking from fear of some shadow of me that had sauntered out of the cold - Then so be it. I have the reputation of a scoundrel. I have the heart of one. Let someone who cares for you despise me, if they do it truly.