Again, the temptation to just walk away was overwhelmingly sweet. Should she allow her whole world to be turned upside-down for the sake of a frightened girl? She certainly can't discuss an inkling of a plan or a commitment with Alina now, not when she sees that the girl's been withered away to the wick. Fight, flight, scream - fear is pouring off of her in torrents. There's a determination there too, that same fear she'd alluded to earlier - Alina doesn't want to be used. And she doesn't want to expand the Fold. Running would seem like a good option, at that point.
Except Nina was able to look into the eyes of her drüskelle captors and tell them that the Darkling would come for them because of what they'd done to her. And she knew it was true, and so did they. He let no Grisha death go unanswered. How much more would he pursue the Sun Summoner, even if what Alina said was not true, even if it was only what she knew about Kirigan?
Run, then. That was all she needed to say. All she needed to do was nothing, and she'd be giving Alina more help than she deserved on the tenuous grasp of her word in the face of all that Kirigan had done for Grisha, for her.
...she still can't do it. ]
If I were to believe you, then I'd feel compelled to warn you that's a terrible plan. Run away if you have to, but for Saints' sake, make it a trap. Don't run and keep running and let the person pursuing you chase you down and be the one choosing the ground of confrontation. [ Nina takes a half of a step closer, her voice low. ] And you have other options now. We're not in Ravka.
[ She looks away and takes a deep breath. She exhales, low, still not looking at Alina, not looking at anything, really. ] I need to think about this.
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Again, the temptation to just walk away was overwhelmingly sweet. Should she allow her whole world to be turned upside-down for the sake of a frightened girl? She certainly can't discuss an inkling of a plan or a commitment with Alina now, not when she sees that the girl's been withered away to the wick. Fight, flight, scream - fear is pouring off of her in torrents. There's a determination there too, that same fear she'd alluded to earlier - Alina doesn't want to be used. And she doesn't want to expand the Fold. Running would seem like a good option, at that point.
Except Nina was able to look into the eyes of her drüskelle captors and tell them that the Darkling would come for them because of what they'd done to her. And she knew it was true, and so did they. He let no Grisha death go unanswered. How much more would he pursue the Sun Summoner, even if what Alina said was not true, even if it was only what she knew about Kirigan?
Run, then. That was all she needed to say. All she needed to do was nothing, and she'd be giving Alina more help than she deserved on the tenuous grasp of her word in the face of all that Kirigan had done for Grisha, for her.
...she still can't do it. ]
If I were to believe you, then I'd feel compelled to warn you that's a terrible plan. Run away if you have to, but for Saints' sake, make it a trap. Don't run and keep running and let the person pursuing you chase you down and be the one choosing the ground of confrontation. [ Nina takes a half of a step closer, her voice low. ] And you have other options now. We're not in Ravka.
[ She looks away and takes a deep breath. She exhales, low, still not looking at Alina, not looking at anything, really. ] I need to think about this.