Leonhardt breathed in and out slowly as he listened to Kaelith speak. His words struck something deep within his mind, something raw that made him pause and reflect. There was weight in Kaelith's fear. It was absolute, and it was warranted. Leonhardt knew that. So, he decided to be honest, fully and completely.
He licked his lips and whispered, "I'll be very truthful."
Kaelith nodded slowly, his blue eyes locked on Leonhardt's. He watched him with bated breath as Leonhardt continued, "Actually… at first, I had thought about locking you in my safe room. The one in my bedroom. That way, no one would ever be able to hurt you…"
His voice dropped a little, but his eyes remained fixed, deep and unflinching as he added, "Except me. I believed that if any harm was ever going to come to you, it'd be through me. By my own hands. And because of that… your fears are valid. Absolutely valid. I mean, you have every right to feel the way you do. But I want to say this…"