“Naerin, I’m not the Balance. I don’t even know if I want to be the Balance, to have all of those lives depending on me is scary and stressful and I’ve never been in charge of anything more than just myself. My track record says I don’t do that very well.”

“What was done to you was done to you.” Naerin shook his head and stifled the urge to reach out and take her hand. “You are still moving forward under pressures that would have stymied a lesser person. That ...