She didn't see his face. Maybe she should have been watching there, too, but in ways she was out of practice. She went still when he stepped forward. She knew better than to run, long before the sorry registered as sorry.

"Sorry," she parroted in return, looking up with a jerky movement of her head, finding his eyes, glancing down again. "I'm sorry she left." Hesitating again, Freya had to make her own further decision.

She decides on trust, stepping back down the stair toward Jr.