The word makes Jacinda feel defensive, and zie mutters, "Maybe."

But why lie, and to a being that's seen a thousand thousand tales of heartbreak written over the ages? What does it care that Jacinda was silly enough to hope, once upon a time?

Zie sighs, and folds zir arms on the tabletop in a defensive posture, not looking at Albtraum as zie says, "He could have been home, I think. But I lost my chance. Too scared to ask, and then everything changed. The ways shifted and no one's been back since. I've waited."