[ Julie had genuinely not thought that she could feel worse than she had already been feeling. It just didn't seem possible -- what could be worse than being abandoned by the closest thing left in the universe to your family? Turns out there was a whole world of hurt she was just unaware of, waiting.

It is a stabbing, almost physical pain, and she can barely focus on anything outside of it. She blinks at Geralt blankly for a second, having difficulty even parsing what he's saying. People can come back? Why would the Singularity send them away if it were just going to bring them back?

The words actually process, and real fear unfurls across her face, actual terror at the idea. She blanches entirely. ] He can't come back. If he comes back, he'll kill us. He -- I'm not kiddin', Geralt. He can read minds, he'll know what we've been thinkin', that... [ Fuck, it's not just them, her and Nadine and Lloyd, he'll tear Jaskier limb from limb and make them all watch. She clutches the sides of her head, curls in on herself. ] I didn't know. I didn't know he could come back, I wouldn't have... I'll promise to tell you if you promise to protect Jaskier.

[ The rest of them signed up for this. Jaskier didn't. ]