" It's not reasonable to love people who are only going to die," she said.Nash thought about that for a moment, stroking Small's neck with great deliberation, as if the fate of the Dells depended on that smooth, careful movement." I have two responses to that," he said finally. " First, everyone's going to die. Second, love is stupid. It has nothing to do with reason. You love whomever you love. Against all reasons I loved my father." He looked at her keenly. " Did you love yours?" " Yes," she whispered.He stroked Small's nose. " I love you," he said, " even knowing you'll never have me. And I love my brother, more than I ever realized before you came along. You can't help whom you love, Lady. Nor can you know what it's liable to cause you to do." She made a connection then. Surprised she sat back from him and studied his face, soft with shadows and light. She saw a part of him she hadn't seen before." You came to me for lessons to guard your mind," she said, " and you stopped asking me to marry you, both at the same time. You did those things out of love for your brother." " Well" he said, looking a bit sheepishly at the floor. " I also took a few swings at him, but that's neither here nor there." " You're good at love," she said simply, because it seemed to her that it was true. " I'm not so good at love. I'm like a barbed creature. I push everyone I love away." He shrugged. " I don't mind you pushing me away if it means you love me, little sister. "