"And what now?" Vol said. "You're betraying your honour with me, are you not?"
"You have taken me, haven't you?" Penelope said, trying a mischievous smile, though it came off sadder, given what they had just talked about. "What am I to do, when I am taken, without my consent?"
"But you…" Vol began, before he saw the look on her face, and he realized something. "Ah… You jester. You were tricking me, weren't you? You wanted me to take you – but you couldn't guide me towards the decision, else you'd be violating your ridiculous oath."
"Do you feel betrayed?" Penelope asked, a hint of worry in her eyes, despite her smile.
"No," Vol said, hefting his hammer on his shoulder. His instincts would have warned him, had she been plotting. There was never a hint of any spidery web from Penelope. A more honest human it would have been hard to meet. "I feel like I've learned something."
…
…
