"A tragedy is dying young because you were dumb enough to trust someone you shouldn't." His voice is harsh and cold, layered with frustration and a clear history of disappointment. "Look, you can go out giving chances and I'll rob the graves when you're done. But I'm not going to get killed because it's some cosmic shame if I don't assume the best of people."

Howard has, in his opinion, been lucky to have just been disappointed, abandoned and beaten. He hasn't died yet. He comes from a town where a third of the populace up and died within a year and he's still alive, even if he had to scavenge, steal, kidnap and beg to get by. Even if he mostly survived by luck. Even if he might be dead by now, in his own timeline.

Trust is not only something he doesn't lend out easily, but also something he doesn't believe is worth giving to others. He doesn't want to trust. He doesn't see open-mindedness, optimism as anything naivete and foolishness. He doesn't aspire to opening his heart. It's just other people that wishe that for him.

People like Cassie.

What does she want from him, anyway? It doesn't even occur to him that she genuinely wants to make others happy.

"Yeah, she makes some pretty incredibly hairballs, alright."