07-07-2018, 05:23 PM
Her feet were rooted even before the sound of his plea squeezed her chest tight. Much as she might wish otherwise, she was not immune to his distress; not even against her better judgement. She absorbed him in the moments before he spoke, like secrets might be uncovered in a glance, only to blink like worlds collided when he spoke.
He needed her name and the connections that came with it.
If anything had shown in her expression before now, she finally rallied to the smooth control she had employed during her father's trial. She ought not be surprised; it was the usual way of things, and one of the reasons she had not been forthright about her identity so many times in the past. The hurt banished deep, not least because she understood the desire to protect one's family beyond any reasonable cost.
"You don't need to convince me of anything."
Though her gaze dipped to the image anyway; one she wasn't sure she really wanted to process, the flesh and blood vulnerability laid bare in a single photo. She took the wallet in her palm. The resemblance was clear even if she hadn't pieced enough together already; wan and sickly, and probably not far off Alice's age. He thought she needed persuading, even after Africa. Like the pain in his voice wasn't enough on its own. "He won't help you if it means defying Nikolai Brandon."
The fact Jay was American plunged his chances to less than zero, though she chose not to voice it for the illumination it cast on her own past. Edward wouldn't risk those associations. Jay's services had been paid for; as far as the Northbrooks were concerned, there was no debt left outstanding.
She handed the device back.
"You'd do better to petition Evelyn Avalon. Interesting how this fundraiser was declared so shortly following her arrival, don't you think? She's a strong advocate for channeller rights. She might have sway with the right people."
A public path with little recourse if things went wrong. But it was not like Natalie was without less savoury contacts, should the need arise.
He needed her name and the connections that came with it.
If anything had shown in her expression before now, she finally rallied to the smooth control she had employed during her father's trial. She ought not be surprised; it was the usual way of things, and one of the reasons she had not been forthright about her identity so many times in the past. The hurt banished deep, not least because she understood the desire to protect one's family beyond any reasonable cost.
"You don't need to convince me of anything."
Though her gaze dipped to the image anyway; one she wasn't sure she really wanted to process, the flesh and blood vulnerability laid bare in a single photo. She took the wallet in her palm. The resemblance was clear even if she hadn't pieced enough together already; wan and sickly, and probably not far off Alice's age. He thought she needed persuading, even after Africa. Like the pain in his voice wasn't enough on its own. "He won't help you if it means defying Nikolai Brandon."
The fact Jay was American plunged his chances to less than zero, though she chose not to voice it for the illumination it cast on her own past. Edward wouldn't risk those associations. Jay's services had been paid for; as far as the Northbrooks were concerned, there was no debt left outstanding.
She handed the device back.
"You'd do better to petition Evelyn Avalon. Interesting how this fundraiser was declared so shortly following her arrival, don't you think? She's a strong advocate for channeller rights. She might have sway with the right people."
A public path with little recourse if things went wrong. But it was not like Natalie was without less savoury contacts, should the need arise.