Lucy had opened her mouth again, a practiced speech ready, but she stopped herself before she said a word, an almost bemused look on her face as she shook her head. "God," she sighed, more to herself than anything else. "Over six months in this place, with no war, no conflict aside from petty arguments, and it's like I still can't stop fighting."

It was enough to make her wonder, for only a moment, if Jude had been right. The notion threatened to make her feel sick, though, so she dismissed it with a barely noticeable shrug.