else can you offer?” My mouth goes suddenly dry. I cannot look away from him. I am aware in an awful, sickening way that we are in a bedroom. “I—I can’t,” I stumble. “Veria.” He reaches out and touches my sleeve lightly. I flinch away from him, then catch myself. Stupid to show fear, stupid to— “Veria,” he says softly. “Do not look at me so. Have I ever given you reason to fear me?”
