Sun Mote Copse Keep repeating self-hating phrases

It started out better than she could've hoped: Phox seemed pretty on board by only asking when she wanted to go, and Towma didn't have anything to add. She'd came prepared with a variety of arguments in favour of her going to Rusalka, but at first, they didn't seem necessary. Maybe it really was that easy!

But then Niamh spoke and Alyx's hopes came crashing down around her. Of course her mom would have an issue with this. It was hard for her to listen to the reasons, which were perfectly logical but delivered with a tone of finality that Alyx didn't like, because the hottest of her arguments—that they had let Meerkat go off and do whatever she wanted when she was even younger than Alyx and it wasn't fair—threatened to rush out of her mouth.

Realizing that she wasn't going to make a strong point for herself if she got hot-headed about it, Alyx waited until Niamh was done, carefully composing herself all the while. I have friends in Rusalka, she said, just like Towma had friends in Moonspear. It's the same thing. Furthermore, I can be like Meer, I can be an ambassador for Firebirds and live there and we can have an alliance. Then we'll all be stronger. And I'll get what I want, she privately thought. For the first time, she sort of understood why Bronco and Meerkat had left Firebirds. Maybe, like her, they'd had a taste of unrelated friends, friends they chose rather than friends they had to have because they shared blood, and had just wanted more freedom for themselves. Miss Erzulie even said I can come when the water cleared up! she said in an effort to refute Niamh's warning.