Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“I am,” Sophie agreed. “I had to learn the hard way that trying to do
everything by myself doesn’t go well.”
“Neither does involving the people you care about in agreements
you cannot possibly understand.”
“All I’ve agreed to is to be someone the trolls can come to if they
need help,” Sophie argued. “And since you agreed to the same thing, I
don’t really get why you’re giving me a lecture.”
“Hindsight, Sophie. It comes with lots of regret.”
Sophie’s chest tightened. “You’re saying you regret your alliance
with the trolls.”
Luzia sighed and looked away. “I’m saying I regret parts of it—
though I suspect we all regret parts of every major decision we make.
We choose the best we can, based on whatever information we’re
given. And then . . . we have to live with it.”
“Well,” Sophie said, swallowing back the sourness on her tongue, “I
can live with it if it saves these alicorn babies. And Tarina—”
“Tarina won’t be your problem. It’s the empress who’ll bring you
the real challenge. And it won’t happen right away. That’s how it
sneaks up on you.”
“What does?”
“Who knows? But something always comes up. Just remember that
sharing this planet with other intelligent species means that
everything is far more complicated than it seems. And while I’m
counting on you to keep your word and not let anyone know of my
involvement . . . if you find yourself in a bind, you know where to find
me.”
“Okay,” Sophie said slowly.