Relief washed over her to know that Lucinda had left her threats as well, threats and nothing more. Frankly she'd been terrified, worried herself physically sick over it in the week or so afterward. It had been so bad she'd gone and fainted on Mr. Adlard right here in the library. It might have been avoidable, if she'd been able to pluck up the courage to write to Tyb and find out what had happened after she left. Time had gone on though, and the more she'd thought about it, the less she wanted to know. It was eating at her though, she'd be lying if she said it wasn't.

Unable to figure out what to say next, Elsie watched him carefully as he started a sentence and stopped, leaving her hanging on that one word. She hated that her first reaction was dread. It crept over her, slowly replacing any relief she'd come to feel.

"Except?" She prompted gently, eyebrows raised ever-so-slightly. She reached for the book he'd held, if only to remember to put it away in the proper place- and for something to occupy her hands. Elsie tried to hold herself together, by holding the book in her arms, as if it would do the trick.