Jack had wronged many people in his life. Annika had been caught in the crossfire before, so what her father had to say was nothing new. But [i]how[/i] he said it, the remorse and regret? That was new.

Annika shifted to comfort her father when the door opened, and he pushed her away. Annika stared at the book, upset that this Reza had tried to trick her just to get his revenge. 

[color=#663399]”No. I’m not leaving you.”[/color] Annika came to stand by her father, her small hands balled into fists. [color=#663399]”Hey! I don’t know how sentient you are, or if you just have the last remnants of a man wronged in there, but I’m not letting you kill my dad. He may be a lot of things, but he chose to protect and raise me. So whatever memory you’re holding onto, it’s time to let it go because he is not the same man. So if you want my dad, you have to go through me.”[/color] 

Annika glared at the book, something she had found so fascinating earlier, and a shadow bow formed in her hand, with a full quiver of arrows on her back. She strung one but didn’t point it at the book. She may be fiercely trying to protect her father, but she still had hope that whatever was left of Reza had some intelligence.