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Talia looked tired.

More than physically.

The anger had burned down into something quieter.

I preferred the anger.

This felt more dangerous.

“I can take you to Anik,” I said again.

“I heard you.”

“I need you to know I mean it.”

She held my gaze. “I do.”

Relief moved through me.

Too quickly.

Then she continued. “That doesn’t fix it.”

The relief stopped.

“I know.”

Talia came a little closer. “I believe you’ll protect me.”

The words should have felt good.

They did not.

Because I heard what came next before she said it.

“I don’t trust you to let me choose. I want to trust you.”

That hurt more.

She rubbed her palms together once before letting her hands fall.

“But right now, every time you say you’re keeping me safe, part of me is going to wonder what you decided not to tell me.”

I nodded. “That is reasonable.”

“Stop sounding like a report.”

“I am attempting not to argue.”

That earned the smallest breath of laughter.

Gone almost instantly.

Still.

I took it.

“What do you need from me?”