Contrary to most thirteen year old boys, and perhaps telling of his experiences, Lev immediately rests his head on her chest and presses his cheek into her shirt, inhaling deeply. "Mm? 'M asleep," he insists, cracking one eye open to see if she buys it. She Does Not. Rather than risk her temper, he holds up his good hand placatingly.
"There were so many guards. We had no weapons, and the things they did to people who tried to escape-it took us a while to make a plan that would work. And we did. We tried to escape," he murmurs softly. "We just didn't succeed. They-tortured us, too. My memories are pretty fuzzy, but I think we were rescued-um, by Ellie. I don't remember anything after that, I promise. I woke up here."