“And the bastard knew it was important and used it to put you through that.” His voice was fierce. “You’re so damn smart. Why can’t you see what he did to you?”

She could almost feel his rage, and it put her on the defensive. “Yes, I see that I could have walked away. But if I had, he might have gotten bored or discouraged and decided not to teach me anything else. I was learning.” She added passionately, “Do you know how important that was to me? Every time I learned something new, it was as if I was given another precious gift that no one could ever take away from me. When I was a child, I could see how ignorance robbed everyone around me. If I’d walked away from Zabron, the only thing anyone else would have been willing to teach me was the same thing the Golden Door did. I had to make a choice.” She stopped. “I made it, and then I walked away. I’m sorry you think it was stupid or lacking in character, but it gave me four more years to get on my feet. If I hadn’t had them, I might not have had the opportunity to learn about things like your XV-10, and tracking, and cyber security, and Mandarin, and…so many other things.” She forced herself to unclench her fists. “So I’m not at all sorry I made that choice, Korgan.”

“Lacking in character,” he repeated hoarsely. “You have entirely too much of that commodity. And I have no right to judge anything you decided to do with your life. I wasn’t around there to help you. Hell, no one was there to help you.”

“Stop it,” she said sharply. “I got along fine. I’ll always be fine. I’m strong and I’m smart and—”

“A survivor…” Korgan supplied. “That’s your mantra.”

“And it’s not such a bad one,” she said. “But if it’s upsetting you, go away. This all started because I offered you something I thought you wanted. Again, my choice. I certainly don’t need anyone pitying me.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” he said curtly. “I don’t know what the hell I’m feeling for you now, but it’s not pity. Yes, there’s lust and anger and frustration and half a dozen other emotions. But now I also want to put Zabron on the same death list as Masenak. Maybe at the top of it.”

He meant it, she realized in bewilderment. She hadn’t expected this extreme reaction. “That’s not reasonable. Zabron is just Zabron. Masenak is a monster. And you’re always reasonable. It’s one of the things I’ve always admired about you.”

“Wrong,” he said harshly. “There are times I’m not reasonable at all.”