Now that Leon had acknowledged his stupidity with sufficient sincerity, Xyra appeared satisfied.
"Try to merge with the armor," she said. "It will be fine."
Leon looked at her.
She had just finished telling him — at length and with considerable directness — that he was reckless, that his habit of throwing himself at problems without thinking was going to get him killed someday, and that the only reason it hadn't yet was luck she found personally insulting to witness. And now she was telling him to walk up to a conscious mythical armor that had watched him make a fool of himself for fourteen hours and try to merge with it.
He looked at her for slightly too long.
Her silver eyes narrowed.
"Are you doubting me?" Her voice carried a specific quality that he'd learned to recognize. "You're really asking for a spanking. I said it will be fine. Go."
Leon moved immediately.
