[JennyHallu]

Lin raised a delicate eyebrow. He sounds so...defensive. An amusing switch, really. "My friends are equally out of my reach and yours," she pointed out reasonably. "Neither of us could do anything from here to help them. And they have many to protect them and now--" she made a sweeping gesture that seemed to encompass herself and the iron cage she sat in. "--they will be most careful.

"You've already taken risks to help me," she continued, raising her cup to him through the cell door. "Not much, but Sorn is a dangerous man. I'm not sure he's--quite sane. Which means his reaction to even the little you've done for me could be unpredictable, at the least.

"All I mean to do is make you an offer. You know as well as I do that no profession of ignorance will protect you in this case. I am beloved of the Queen. When Sorn is caught, he will be tried by an angry populace, and punishment will be both swift and harsh. If I yet live, I say that you may call on me, and I shall speak for you. For Gurth, as well, for he does not know what he does, and should not bear the consequences of it, and he has been surpassingly kind to me, in his own way."

A dark bitter voice in her mind erupted in protest to this offer, made on a hunch and a whim.

What are you saying, Lin? He's done the bare minimum to help you, every step of the way.

But he's done that.

Murder is probably already one of his crimes. He is not to be trusted! Why, you fool, do you trust him?!

I must trust someone. And it affects him that I do, it confuses him. He's thinking about it, I know he is.

You don't have to trust anyone. And you run the risk that all you do is infuriate him.

I choose to trust him, and I will bear the risk.
The bitter voice subsided, and Lin settled back against the cell wall with a sigh, watching for his reaction.