"D.C.?" he asked for confirmation. After all, they were technically in Washington--she could have just been avoiding the question or letting him know she was no stranger to the state. He noticed the way her lips trembled, and he frowned. Upset? Nervous? Scared, even? Had she been lost longer than he'd thought, was she uncomfortable with him, were her facial muscles weak?
"I've lived here all my life," Carmine said, keeping his casual tone but watching her reactions cautiously. "What brings you to the Emerald City?"