Stone Circle better angels

That was a no, then. Except Alya had never really been one to take no for an answer, so she considered it a not yet and tried again, figuring she would have to give a little in order to get a little. It was only fair, given that Korei had only given as good as she got during their last conversation - and not in a good way.

"I want to apologize," she said in her firm, strong voice. "I don't agree with all that you said when we last met, but I said some hurtful, unnecessary things as well when I should've just been glad to see you alive. So I'm sorry. And I'm ready just to be glad."

Her piece said, she peered expectantly down at Korei, waiting for her to offer some sort of rebuttal so that Alya could tear her argument down, piece by peace. She was already trying to guess at what the other girl would say so that she could lay traps and manipulate until she got her way -

- but slowly, piece by piece, she was learning to dismantle those traps and speak only the words she believed in, nothing more and nothing less. It was difficult, but for her sister - once lost but now miraculously returned to her - she had decided she would try.