[Same reaction, just about. She won’t forget that any time soon.]

[It doesn’t scare her exactly, not this round—but something about it warns her, even more than his words, not to bluster. Maybe it’s the echo.]

I— I’m not. Honest. [Aubrey lifts one hand in a sort of surrender, and lies the other over her chest—intentional this time, fingers out flat.] I don’t know where. But he’s here, somewhere.

He… wanted to tell you something. [So much for delaying. It feels too important not to say it, suddenly.]