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Saiman blinked "That’s it?"

"Yep"

He looked at the ziplock bag as if it were a scorpion about to sting hi place in his head "And if I say no?"

"Then I will take it soers of his hands into a single fist and leaned on it, looking off into the distance

"Take your ti to co events within the city?" Saie them to be in need of my influence"

"It is not an evaluative but a factual question," he said "There can be only one of two answers: yes or no Do you intend to rule?"

"No"

Saiman pondered me "I can’t decide if you can’t comprehend the precarious nature of your situation or if you choose to deliberately hide fro its head into the sand"

"You always co metaphors The last time we had one of our little talks, you co his forehead "Kate, it is not just about who you are and the merits of your particular deeds It’s about Nihter You claimed a territory independent of hiainst hi after me? You don’t say "Thank you, Captain Recap Your sus we knoas ed You will need a base of support If you simply walk away from it, the city will turn into a free-for-all as various powers try to tug it away frohter"

"I intend to protect the city There will be no free-for-all"

Sai I’d said had obviously broken his formidable brain

"You will protect the city, but you don’t intend to rule it"

"Yes"

"What is the point of protecting it? You gain nothing You put yourself in physical danger for no actual benefit to you Is it because you want your father’s approval?"

"He can take his approval and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine for all I care"