"You're right," Laila said. There was a bittersweet taste in her mouth. To set her mother free would be the right thing to do; it was what Laila wanted to do. But, perhaps, if she could gain her own freedom...

She hated herself for thinking like that. Her mother needed to experience freedom before she died. That's all her mother had ever wanted. If Laila were to take that from her, what kind of daughter would she be? She wanted the freedom for herself - she couldn't deny that. Despite it being what she also wanted and what was the right thing, Laila would only grudgingly ask for her mother's freedom rather than her own. It was in her mind that no matter what, she'd think of her mother first. Then again, how had her mother fought for her...? She hadn't...

"I'd rather not think about the future. We could be dead within the next hour," Laila said. "Doesn't matter how safe we are at the moment."