[ Her hand falls away before it can settle at his elbow in any attempt to guide him away, raising her eyebrow at his fortitude. One could say it would be expected of a young man, but Vanessa has been one to relate just as much as any man with something to prove.

She is not one to tell a young man to stay away from danger, and his youth on its own is not as problematic for her as it may be for some of his more contemporary elders, but she wonders at his experience when it comes to mortal danger or the supernatural. That is always cause for concern. He is right, however, that hiding away will impart no lesson, and in this city it would be foolish to think that anywhere is safe.

In this, she speaks more in the general sense rather than this particular night with a sharpness to her rasp. ]

I believe your claim to be sincere, but I am not certain you can comprehend how much more terrible such trials can become. While it may not be possible to hide from a city you are imprisoned in, you need not seek out the enemy's tricks at first opportunity.

[ Slowly, she'll step back around to face him again. ]

It is a world I have long known, the one hidden in the shadows, and it is not a world for heroics. Once your eyes are opened to the darkness, they can never again close. Not even a blink. [ The edge to her voice does soften again now. ] I would not like to see you harmed.