“I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to break dad out.”
“Before you even think about it. Listen—” Soren grasps her shoulders lightly. Making her turn around to face him, “Look at you, you’re in no condition to go on a rescue mission. Not like this. We’ll figure something out. Eventually. Right now and I hate to say it, we must hide.”
No doubt, The Crownsguard were expecting them back at Katolis. They might question them about their mission.
“I also have broken ribs, so there’s that.”
“But if we can’t go back, where are we going to?” First words do not argue his logic; Soren has the right of it this time. If he seems to be recovering, there’s still quite a long way to go before he’ll be healthy again. Perhaps she could do it alone, yet truth be told, there is some relief to be found in postponing return, even if Claudia cannot avoid guilt at leaving father behind. Missions, official and otherwise, had all failed; she had made the choice he had told her not to do, he had ordered Soren to kill their friends.
How would she face him, after all of that?
“I’m fine, though. I could come back for him once we find somewhere safe for you to stay.” Soren isn’t wrong about her not being in her best shape, truthfully; that spell had costed her more than a single strand of white hair. Nevertheless, offer is made casually enough in spite of hesitance felt. Claudia doesn’t want to do this without her brother, not really. “And then we go back to where you’ll be. It could work.”