Amuné heard the tacit acknowledgement and smiled in return, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.  She shook her head at the next comment, eyes unfocusing to look at a memory for a moment.  "These hands have taken lives," she told him, holding them up in front of her with a wry smile.  "I don't think it gets any more real than that.  But a better fighter, that would be useful.  I'm pretty far out of my depth, here."  She said it without resentment; she'd not reached her current level of skill by refusing to learn when given the opportunity.  "If I can learn to utilize my Sight more effectively, that'd be good too."  The young lady's jaw worked silently.  "But my mind...I can't.  Not yet.  Maybe not ever."  Amuné couldn't hide the shudder that ran through her.  "I'm sorry, I just...I'd try to counterattack.  It's automatic."  She took a deep breath, resettling herself.  "I mean, you could text my...oh.  No, I suppose you couldn't."  A cell phone wasn't much good when there was a moon between her and the nearest cell tower.  She sighed.  "We'll have to figure something out."

When he put his hand on her shoulder, the Seer covered it with her own.  She didn't mind staying so much -- indeed, she'd expected it.  But her friend....  "Jareth will freak if he isn't back in time for his lab on Tuesday.  He'll lose his scholarship if he doesn't keep his grades up."  She frowned.  "I only let him come at all because of a feeling I had.  It's really not clear, but...I agree, he should stay.  The problem will be convincing him.  He won't like it."  Amuné brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face and grimaced.  "However, if it's leverage you're worried about, he's hardly the only one.  My parents, my roommate, my friends at the Upstairs and on campus.  It isn't possible to protect all of them.  But..."  The young woman's voice turned soft.  "I can't say it wouldn't matter in a fight.  Faced with that sort of decision, and time only to react...I don't know.  But as ransom?"  She shook her head.  "Not an issue.  After all...I know what happens if I accept."  No matter how badly it hurt her, the teenager knew that her giving herself up in exchange wasn't the real concern.  Her perception of the choices offered was very different.  It was no exaggeration to say she'd die before she went willingly into captivity.  If it was that or giving in, she had no doubt which she'd choose.

[@theminorfall]