"The optimist tempts fate with his incautious words," Byerly replies. Likewise, he's done his best to seem utterly indifferent to what happens to Bastien, even as he craves nothing more than reaching his hand out to the neighboring cell so that he might hold his beloved's hand.

He takes a lingering bite of the apple, pressing his lips to its skin, imagining how Bastien's lips will touch the same spot. And that brings some small comfort to him.

Byerly is, horribly, a grotesque romantic. Thank the Maker he largely keeps it to himself.

The apple is handed over. "Don't take too much of it."