Jade Fern Grove slay the nemean lion

she speaks of keeping a secret and in that ingram has his answer ... or rather, the one he chooses to glean from her words.

it wasn't fair to paint her with his belief of what her words meant ... but ingram does it anyway.

a secret.

it rankles at him, like the prickle of a thousand needles.

then you are not ready. he tells her cooly, dismissively. i am what i am and am tired of hiding. i will keep no secrets.