Oh dear. It was as bad as Mina feared. She turned around to face Jacqueline, keeping her voice and her expression as calm and level as she could manage. "It's not your responsibility to protect me," she said. She wanted it to sound like she was doing Jacqueline a favor, letting her out of an unwanted responsibility. Really, Mina never envied the ghouls who had to protect vampires. They were meant to be following their own paths. That was why she never made ghouls.

"Jacqueline," she said, reaching out to touch the girl's arms. "My life for the last two and a half centuries has been about serving the Amazons. And about finding Tom. I have neither of those purposes any more. And I'm living in a hostile world, with precious few friends. Torpor may be the logical course of action for me at this time. And it will free you to live your life without having to concern yourself with me."