For a moment Quinn might have thought she went deaf. Besca and Dahlia were talking—their lips were moving—but there was only silence and a tinny ringing in the back of her mind. It was like she’d just disconnected; a brief flash of vertigo, the dark just at the edge of her vision, the lingering breaths between whispers she couldn’t hear, but she could feel. 

Anger was offered, but it couldn’t match her own fear. In its absence was an inner chill, and the sound of distance hoofbeats to shatter the silence. 

“[color=skyblue]…renegotiate! We didn’t know the terms![/color]” Dahlia’s voice was too quiet for how loudly she actually seemed to be speaking. 

“[color=gray]…Board did. Said her phasing speed…don’t know anything…[/color]” Besca was equally quiet, her words faded in and out. “[color=gray]…think Toussaint got played…deal with Eusero anyway…thin our numbers…[/color]”

The ringing sharpened, [color=black]not fair. Throwing us away. Supposed to be safe. No. No.[/color]

“[color=skyblue]No![/color]” Dahlia snapped, and suddenly the world became clear and steady again. “[color=skyblue]I don’t care! I’ll go down with her and I won’t leave. They can agree to change the terms or they can concede.[/color]”

Besca was still deflated, slumped over in the seat with her head in her hands. “[color=gray]Helburke won’t concede, and the Board would rather…they won’t change their minds, either. It’s House Tormont. You go down there and you’re liable to have three or four other Houses joining them.[/color]”

“[color=skyblue]They can send as many as they want,[/color]” Dahlia hissed. “[color=skyblue]I’ll burn them all. I don’t [i]care[/i].[/color]”

“[color=gray]Well [i]I care[/i], Deelie! I care! We are not breaking the Illun Accord for [i]Casoban[/i]! Helburke will sink the whole country overnight, [i]after[/i] they’ve mulched both of you anyway![/color]”

Dahlia balked. “[color=skyblue]You [i]cannot[/i] actually be considering this.[/color]”

“[color=gray]I’m…[/color]” Besca muttered. “[color=gray]I don’t know what else to do! If we refuse, this turns into another Westwel—then what?[/color]”

“[color=skyblue]Then we figure something out![/color]”

“[color=gray]That...that's not how it works.[/color]”

“[color=skyblue]Quinn is our family,[/color]” Dahlia said sharply. “[color=skyblue]You might not care if we lose any more of it, but I [i]do[/i].[/color]”

Besca shot up, eye wide and angry. Dahlia withered, briefly, but she kept her lips stiff and didn’t back down. 

“[color=gray]Get out,[/color]” Besca said through gritted teeth. “[color=gray]Dahlia, get out. Now.[/color]”

Dahlia frowned, but she seemed far more angry than sad. She looked to Quinn, eyes gleaming with held-back tears. “[color=skyblue]Yes ma’am,[/color]” she said, and left. 

It was only two of them, then. For a moment it looked like Besca would run after her—she seemed to regret herself the instant Dahlia turned her back—but instead she sat back down. She looked older, suddenly, and tired. She felt both, immensely. 

“[color=gray]I’m sorry, Quinn…[/color]” her voice was thin and shaky. “[color=gray]I’m sorry. She’s right. She’s right, I—I can’t let this happen. I have to think of…something. Something. I can’t let you go. It’s not fair, you’re not ready. I won’t lose you.[/color]”