"Oh. It's strange to think of a powerful being wanting to help us." Maybe she's thinking too much about Tomas again. He was brilliant and an exceptional choreographer, but he was also exacting and relentless. Nina couldn't count the number of times he'd made her feel small.

But was it Tomas doing it or her mother? Or herself? The fact that she wasn't certain of the answer was terrifying to her. More than anything, she needed surety. At least until she'd made herself feel comfortable.

There were no friends in the corps de ballet. Everyone was out for the person above them's part and everyone knew it. It kept tensions high which was probably a good thing for performances, they'd all be on their toes, but it also kept competition red hot and friendships few. Lily had tried. Nina was willing to allow the other dancer that much credit, despite how...odd things had gotten between them.

But she didn't sense anything tricky or insincere about Ariadne. Just genuine happiness. If she could find it, could Nina find it here, too?

Nina looked down briefly and gave the other young woman a shaky smile. "I like that. The sound of it, of a break in destiny. Even though I think I'll never be able to forget about it completely."