She watches him touch his lips, feels a little swell of triumph in her chest, because he hadn't passed through it entirely unfazed. Good. She won't let go of that.

She holds her breath a moment, deciding whether or not to believe him, but he'd called her Sonia -- not milady, not Princess. Just Sonia. She lets out her breath, but still looks entirely dissatisfied with such a meager excuse. She simply doesn't believe that Byerly doesn't want her at all. She's stubborn, eyes blazing, and she leans forward again.

"Then what is it?"