[ That... is very brave of Alina. And Nina deeply appreciates it. She can read enough between the lines (black. kefta. it's not actually very hard to read between those lines) to know that Alina's appeal with the general will mean a lot more than hers. ]

I should talk to him first. When last we spoke... well, I thought I was the only Grisha here. I don't want him to think I was lying to him. [ But it should be done soon, because if the general finds out that she was here and hasn't reported in yet, well... that won't help her cause much. Nina leans forward again, sincerity in every line of her. ] Even if I'm wrong about him, Alina, I won't let him hurt you.

[ Because that would be wrong in every way, betraying the trust of a comrade and betraying the hope of Ravka. It would hurt to hurt Matthias, but if he or Trassel reached out to harm Alina, she would not hesitate. And if Matthias wasn't a fool, and he wasn't, he would know that about her. ]