never kill the light inside me

As interesting as the child's attitude was, his insolence would go nowhere so long as Jinx remained in charge of him. She briefly contemplated dropping him on Pied's doorstep without any explanation, but thought better of it; he would not be raised by heathens, even though he himself was unwittingly a heathen. Ira's explanation for his chilly indifference brought a satisfied grin to her lips, leading her to the conclusion that love between them was not only not a requirement, but unwelcome. Gooood, to crooned, having learned herself from a young age the difficulty of loving and admiring anybody. Her sister had more than once toyed with her young naivety, and both her parents had been gone by her half-year mark, and Jinx had never cared deeply for anyone save her siblings and Kiviuq since then.

Now, she scarcely cared for them, either. Her obsession with Kaskae was the only reminder of her sister, and it was born of distrust more than love. Love is for the weak, she proclaimed, gesturing for the child to follow her away from the corpse. She supposed if he refused, she would leave him there... Though unbeknownst to her, it was more likely she would scruff him and drag him along. There is no use in allowing love to make you vulnerable. This stranger... Hmm, he knew your parents, or he is a liar. This was said as much to herself as Ira.

It is not logical to give one's own safety for love of another, the Kesuk decided then, hoping to impart this focus on self to Ira. Given the option between fighting for the lives of her peers or fleeing with her life intact, Jinx would surely do the latter. Her life weighed more than others', in her mind.