She was like an open book to him who had spent almost his entire life hiding who he was and presenting to the world what he wanted them to see. Acting had come early, learning the traits to survive, learning what it would take to get him to the top of the pile quickly and without shying away from the dirty work necessary to get there. She had a very open baring and face, which would serve her well if she could learn to control it. People liked open people, thought they could be stepped on with less resistance.

"Good, you're a step ahead of more than a few in admitting what you just did," he said, but mastering fear took a long time. Some people didn't have the strength of character in order to endure, but she had more or less stood her ground a bit with him. Enough that he didn't think she was a complete lost cause. "Why do you jump at every shadow in your room?"

While he waited for her answer, he began to eat the meal that she had brought.