He hurried away from the shelter, riding his horse in the direction Amia had indicated. “Are you going to let me ride with you?” she asked. She seemed genuinely uncertain how he’d answer. “Can’t you sense my answer?” He tried to sound playful, but came off more abrupt than intended. “I’d understand if you said no. After what I did…” She sighed. “That’s why we have the Accords. The earliest of my people didn’t hesitate to…shape…others to do what they wanted. That’s not what I wanted with you.” “I wouldn’t leave you to the lisincend.” Just thinking about it bothered him. And there was still that echo in the back of his mind, the quiet command. Protect me. “Only because of what I did.” Tan held her dark gaze with his eyes and shook his head. “I would have done what I could to rescue you regardless of the shaping. It just serves as a reminder.” She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes. “It is still with you, the shaping?” Tan nodded.
