She couldn't believe it; he was letting her go? Just like that? It was too good to be true! She stood up straight in surprise, even though her stomach ridiculed her decision to stand upright. A look of hope shone in her eyes for the first time in weeks, and she opened her mouth to blurt out her answer.<br/><br/>But she stopped herself just in time. Amora could recall what her mother had told her not so long ago; "Never simply accept a deal until you think of what the other person would get in return. Is it something you're willing to give away?" She closed her mouth, and shut her eyes so to think properly. She didn't need that bird gawking at her the whole time, but it wasn't something she could control.<br/><br/>What did he want from her? That was something she had yet to figure out. Just another plaything to toy with? Or perhaps another servant to break. She knew one thing, that she didn't want to linger too long with him unless she had to. What would he get from setting her free? He had literally just bought her; letting her go on her own way seemed foolish and ill-advised to the girl. But perhaps, that was what he wanted all along. He had suggested bringing her a weapon of her choice, so there must be some kind of creatures out in the woods other than some birds and insects. Something that would probably enjoy killing her for its meal. She didn't want to die, not now. But how was she to know if he didn't want to kill her himself?<br/><br/>Her thoughts went to her family and her village. How would they react to seeing her after she had been taken? Overjoyed, she thought at first. But after a moment, she wondered what they would think if someone came back from the city of demons alive and well. They would think it was a trick. A trick to bring the demons to the village, to take everyone and sell them to the highest bidder. The elders wouldn't welcome her; they would send her away. They would think she was being tracked back to her place of birth, and they would banish her. Of course she wanted to see her family, her mother and father, but if they merely sent her away, how would she survive? She wasn't sure if she could run another half mile, let alone day and night to find the village that she knew nothing of its whereabouts from here.<br/><br/>She was weak, Amora could understand that, weak even when fully healthy, but like this, she had no chance. She didn't even know if he would let her go if she managed to get to the edge of the forest. If she lasted that long. He was too eager to see her go; he knew she would come crawling back and that's what he wanted. It just seemed logical for her answer to be--<br/><br/>"No"<br/><br/>She stood up again, looking the bird straight in the eyes, "I can't accept. I can't survive out here, and I'm not going to try. You probably won't even let me go if I were to make it to the other side." She bowed her head, "Even if I were fully healthy, I couldn't survive out here. I'm not a fool, and I don't want to kill myself. I'd rather live than suffer through whatever hell lives in these woods." She answered so boldly to the crow, but she knew that in front of him in his own body, she would hardly make a squeak. If this demon could make a simple-minded bird speak his bidding, who knew what else he was capable of? She wasn't going to risk it.<br/><br/>Not far away, Veronkia hid behind a tree, watching the conversation like a child would watch her parents discuss a party.