She listens silently, unwilling to unterrupt, and when he apologizes and stops talking, she finally moves around the sofa and sits close at his side. She leans up and kisses his forehead, and she tells him, "I understand. I know." She smooths his hair back, face close to his. "I know you had to do it. I would never have wanted you to accept their deal." Her eyes are awake now, luminous and serious. "But you need to listen to me, Rial, and listen well. I'm alive because you didn't give in. If you had signed those papers, the first thing they would have done was slit my throat." Her voice is quiet, ruthlessly honest; relentless. "You know how they hated me. They never would have released me." She touches his face again. "You did what you had to do, and you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. You have never failed me."

She slips her arm around his neck, propping her chin on his shoulder, in a fierce hug. "I'm not going anywhere. I think I've proved I'm pretty kriffing determined to stay here, with you."