They say we are what we are, but we don't have to be

When Scarlett told him he was right, his chest puffed a little. He was right about a lot of things, he felt. For all of Kevlyn's obedience in the Sound, he was really rather clever. Even if he didn't know what he was talking about, he could fake it more often than not. "Yeah," he rejoined unhelpfully in an attempt to keep the conversation going. Clever or not, he wasn't all that social; he was conditioned to speak when spoken to, and that trait sometimes came out even in the company of strangers.

She started back in with the questions, earning a small huff from Kevlyn. "No, just getting out," he explained. There was nothing out here on the mainland that he couldn't possibly get from the sea, he felt. Nevermind that there were prey animals here that were richer and more nutritious than sea life; living on the coast was worth it, even if he'd known about them.

Seeking to steer their conversation away from what he was doing, for he was starting to feel a little suspicious, he said, "I'm Kevlyn." It wasn't much of an icebreaker at all, but it was something.