When the door crashed open and the yelling began, Chi-Chee stayed at Dee-Ell’s side and didn’t budge. Standing right there inside was the Prince, looming behind Doug like a trained shadow. Chi-Chee gazed at him and didn’t move.

He’d always sensed the Prince on his master’s assistant, but no one ever talked about him. No one went looking. And Chi-Chee thought they must not want to look -- even though his master was sad and brave, even though she could forgive anything, even though he owed them, owned them. It was always a jumble for him, primate memories mixed with alien whispers and his master’s affection seeping into the gaps like warm honey. Cold, now. He was on his own.