"It wasn't safe for him to live here. He has more power than he can control, and he wasn't trying..." But he was! I know he was! Wasn't he? "Alice, I promise that we will not send you away. Even if you can't control your power, we won't send you away. We'll find another way to help you. We love you and will keep you and take care of you no matter what. I swear it. You were our foster-daughter before any of this, and you still will be no matter what happens." I feel her looking at me, and I'm looking down, all while the words come and--

"Daughter?" Then she's back. I can feel her too, in the room and in my head and watching. But I ignore her, I push her away, and I look at Hermia. "But I... I thought..." I don't understand, I don't, and it doesn't mean anything, I was my father's daughter and my mother before me... Except somehow this is different, could be different. When I open my mouth again, my words come out so small. "Does that mean I can't marry Valmont?"