He couldn't fault Clio for confirming what Ella had already sussed out on her own, but it still stung. It meant that the Merry Men's fight with the Sheriff hadn't only hurt Clio, it had cast its shadow over Ella, too, and that... god, the guilt of it struck him like a Russian musket ball through the gut.
He'd been hoping he could pass off his obvious gauntness and soreness as 'Will had a silly accident' or 'Will was sick for a bit but he's getting better'. He knew he wasn't her parent, and between Clio and Jacob and Patrick, Ella was as safe and loved as ever any child could hope to be, but he still felt the urge to protect her, to keep the darkness of their world from staining hers. Instead, he got to be one more object lesson in the evils that lurked beyond her door.
"Okay," he said, his voice clenching strangely on the word. "Yeah. Okay. Well... better not keep them waiting."