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She gave a shrug, bringing her knees up so that she could wrap her arms around her legs while they spoke.

“Like I said, I chased the creature. I was not thinking at the time, and I did not even know I was out in the storm until you tossed me back inside.” Then she shook her head as she said, “And that is not what I meant when I said it does not matter. Although I wish to roam the lands here, I wish to do so with you.”

Rurik’s brows creased, trying to understand what she meant.

“Your wards do not matter to me. I do not feel trapped here, and I do not want to leave your lair.”

“As if that is-”

“I am scared,” she sighed, pressing her cheek against the top of her knees before staring at the wall next to her. “I am afraid to walk among the humans, to be recognised and put on the stake again. I also do not want to find my own kind if they are willing to pull creatures apart.” Then she turned her head, resting her cheek on her knees again, but so she was facing him. “I feel safe here. I would not be able to feel that on my own.”

“If that were true, why did you not tell me sooner?”

They sounded like pretty words to appease him.

“Would you have believed me?” She laughed, but it held no humour. “I have not been here for long, and I know that you do not truly trust me. You will not even leave me here for an extended period of time by myself. I was going to wait until you were comfortable enough by making the offer to me since you know I like to sit at the entrance of your lair. If I had really wanted to escape, I would have done it when you went to hunt for food, not when you were here.”

That is awfully... convincing.

“With the fact that you were able to slip past my ward, I cannot let you roam free here.”

To his surprise, the Witch shrugged.

“Shackle me to my room. Leave me in this cell. I would rather that than the possibility of one day burning again.”

“You would be trapped.” He wanted to make sure she understood what that meant. “You would not have any taste of freedom. Your life would be boring and lifeless.”

“Then give me the mercy of a quick death. Anything other than me leaving to face the humans by myself.”

She truly does not care.

Rurik stood, and she didn’t move. He turned from her, leaving the cell open as he walked up his tunnel. Unknown to her, he kept his shield against it so she couldn’t leave. He would be able to feel if she tampered with it, and it would tell him if she tried to leave on her own or not.

He needed proof, needed to have some physical indication that she was telling the truth before he made any decision.

When he got to the entrance of his lair, he didn’t need to sniff around to find what he wanted to, it was clear. There really had been an injured animal here, and he followed its scent back into the storm, having to use his senses to better smell through the rain.

The path stopped going forward right where he’d grabbed the Witch, and then it suddenly changed to go up a tree. The injured creature was no longer there, but it confirmed her story of her leaving his lair.

He walked back inside.

She did not leave my lair with the intention of escaping,he thought as he walked the main tunnel.The creature had bitten her, causing blood to well... Could she really have used such magic without intending to?

Rurik’s anger faded, but he didn’t feel relief.

I still cannot let her roam free inside my lair since we do not know why she was able to pass through my ward.And now that he knew his anger had been unfounded, he didn’t want to cage her in more, to lock her away.I liked her roaming my tunnels. I like watching her.

He knew in the morning she hadn’t been able to pass the ward since her feet had been pressed against it while she sat in the sun.

What changed?He didn’t know.

She was still seated in the same position he’d left her in on the floor when he returned to the cell.

“Come,” he demanded, and turned back.

When she followed, he took her to the entrance of his cave. He took down the ward and then reapplied it, pouring his magic into it to make it strong. She would have to chant out loud in order to go through it.

It would show him if she lied to him previously or not.