[ she tenses at his touch — a testament to how shaken she is considering its rarity. it takes a few steadying breaths before she eventually turns, her expression revealing it all. ]

I haven't told you yet, have I? What the orbs asked of me this time.

[ her conversation with sabriel is still vivid in her mind, magnified by the storm of uncertainty clouding her mind. though the young woman had tried to be reassuring, marta couldn't avoid feeling shaken as a daunting realization begins to grab hold of her.

the flimsy mattress they're on dips as she shifts, reclaiming her spot on the bed. curling up into the warmth of his arms has become a welcome routine by now, even if some days she wakes still marveling she can. ]

They told me to betray a friend. [ she hasn't, yet. she wonders if she even will. ] What will they ask next? What if they're never satisfied?