No you weren't. [ It was debatable and here is Nell to debate it, doubling down and matching him lean for lean, palms braced flat on the table. She switches to Nevarran when he does, and if it's not likely to prevent people from listening in here, perhaps the rapid-fire retorts will. ]

You thought you were, because you were young and stupid and wanted to believe things were good and they were smart enough not to beat us every day and turn people Tranquil on a whim like other places but tolerable and oblivious aren't happy. We were not happy. And you know what?

[ She leans a little further, jaw tightening further, a hard, stubborn line he is certainly familiar with by now. ]

You believing you were happy is exactly why I had to do it. Having it just sit there feeling like home in the back of your head--that place where they just gave you three whole meals every day and your own bed and they taught you every single thing you know--knowing that place you loved once is out there waiting for you? I can't have that. Now there's no going back, no matter what.