" Of course I’m ready. But are you ready for your part of our agreement?”
“Kereseth? Yeah,” she said. “You get us in, we’ll get him out.”
“I want it done simultaneously--I don’t want to risk him getting hurt because of what I’m doing,” I said. “He’s hushflower-resistant, so it will require quite a bit to knock him out. And he’s a skilled fighter, so don’t underestimate him.”
Teka nodded, slowly. And stared, chewing the inside of her cheek.
“What happened? You look all…frantic, or something,” she said. “You guys have a fight?”
I didn’t answer.
“I don’t get it,” she said. “You’re obviously in love with him, why do you want him gone?”
I considered not answering that, either. The feeling of his rough chin scratching my cheek, and his mouth, warm against my skin, haunted me still. He had kissed me. Without prompting, without cunning. I should have been happy, hopeful. But it wasn’t that easy, was it?
I had dozens of reasons to give her. Akos was in danger, now that Ryzek had realized he could use him as leverage over me. Eijeh was lost, and maybe Akos would be able to accept that once he was home, with his mother and sister. Akos and I would never be equals, as long as he was Ryzek’s prisoner here, so I had to make sure he was freed. But the one closest to my heart was the reason that came tumbling out.
“Being here, it’s…breaking him,” I said. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, uncomfortable. “I can’t watch anymore. I won’t.”
“Yeah.” Her voice was soft. “Win or lose--you get us in, we’ll get him out. Okay?”
“Okay,” I said. “Thank you. "

― Veronica Roth , Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark, #1)