Roland's first reaction, thoughtless, is shame. How hard did Cort train them, all those gunslingers-that-were, mold them all hard and smooth 'till not one crack showed through? Because a weapon with a crack in it, Cort taught them well, made sure they all knew, a weapon with a crack in the wrong place is more like to take you to the clearing at the end of the path than anyone else.

But Firo, when the boy'd found him after the Capitol men had said their piece, Roland had felt this same shame, hadn't he? And he'd thought of Signless. Signless, who is no bondsman, no boy to crane his neck looking up to him and be shocked when Roland tumbles. He is a man, that's all, and the terms of their bond were spelled out not by his own people but by Signless'. Those terms mean that, though much is owed between them, though Roland has always had to stoop to look Signless in the eyes, neither of them looks up to the other.

He should not need to remind himself of this, but he does. The thought shakes him.

"You haven't been gone from me so long, have you? That I've forgotten how to open myself?" He's spoken to Firo on some matters, deep and painful ones. Not the same way he would have with Signless, but he has. So surely he isn't so far gone as that. Not so closed off yet. "Do you have time for a- A pile? No, what's the word. A feelings jam, in the manner of your people? Will you be able to stay so long?"