"What's here that's--" Raine bit that off, not least because she wasn't sure what she would say. She breathed carefully, evenly, and there was something a little helpless in the way she looked at him, for a moment utterly lost. How did she even explain this?

Another deep breath, and she started over. "There are a very many things worse than death," she said, low. Her voice was a little rough around the edges. "And each time, you've fixed your mistake. Even when you had nothing in your mind but power, and death, you put me back." That counted for something. It really did. "It's nothing you'd do intentionally, in your right mind, and as far as I'm concerned you're already forgiven. You're worth keeping, Solomon, if I haven't made that clear, so don't you dare--"

Raine cut herself off yet again, aware that she was probably going to finish that sentence with something resembling don't abandon me, please, and showcasing that wound once was enough. She'd explain exactly why she reacted so poorly later. If there was a later.

She hoped there would be a later. "Don't bow to fear and cloak it in my own good," she said at length, a little calmer. "Please."