"You're not Z," he said after a minute, but then he offered her a little almost-grin. "But I can almost hear her saying that."

As soon as he said it, though, Kash felt the world closing in on him. He hadn't spoken of her aloud to any of them, even Pike, in weeks. And saying that like he did, it felt like an admission that she was never going to be here.

His teeth locked and he looked straight ahead of them. "Fuck. I miss her, Vex."