“I am Hawken’s ambassador. My job was to oversee negotiations, I couldn’t come with you.”

The words almost echoing Hawken’s words when the goblin announced matter of fact, Mac wouldn’t be going with them. “She’s our daughter Al; I’d give up breathing before I’d abandon her.”

Some part of him hurt to know Al thought so little of him. Believed he could just ---then he realized with everything they had been through he hadn’t given Al much reason to think otherwise of him when it came to important matters between them. He remained quiet and when the silence drew out he spoke again.

“I’ll stay with her.”