"I'm afraid that my parents will kill me," I replied honestly. "I have to be dead or gone in a week. And it looks like that doesn't really change anything for you. I'll probably end up being executed for treason, so you shouldn't worry about me."
"Treason? How can you betray your family? You're their daughter! They love you!"
"They love me? Do they even realize that I've betrayed them every time they tried to use me to take care of them?"
"But you're still our child."
"I don't think that matters anymore," I murmured. "When it comes to my safety, I'm just an extension of their power. And they'll never accept that truth."
For a moment, there was silence between us again. I felt a lump grow in my throat. I didn't want to cry. Crying never solved anything. Crying made me weak. And I didn'
