After so long believing in the illusion that Kaz built up around himself in the Barrel, Inej has a hard time processing his words. Even now when she knows they're truth, when he showers her with affections and praise, he brings her up short with statements so simple, so honest, so immense that she doesn't know what to do with them.

No one's ever said these kinds of things to her before. How could she know what to say?

"You're worth it, Kaz," she says, the words bubbling up from who knows where. "You're better than the Barrel."