"I… I—" Mandy darted her eyes away, and she hugged herself. "I don't know what to say," she whispered. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
Runa knew Mandy wasn't blaming her, but she regretted it. There was an unspoken question, which Runa could hear echoing in her mind.
Why have you kept all that fear to yourself all this time?
Runa looked grimly at Mandy. "I'm not sure you believe… and can endure it."
Mandy lowered her hands and her eyes slowly widened as she looked at Runa. She was about to argue, but tonight suddenly felt so exhausting for both of them. So in the end, Mandy didn't say anything.
"Then… what now?" she asked, tilting her head. "Do you want… me to stay with you until at least Arden calls you?"
Runa shook her head with a faint smile. "Go home," she pleaded. "Get some rest." Then she reached out and touched Mandy's arm gently. "Thank you for worrying about him, too. I'll let you know when I hear from him."
