“You know that is not true, the monster said. You know that your truth, the one that you hide, Conor O’Malley, is the thing you are most afraid of.”

“Conor O’Malley who wants to be punished,” Harry said, still stepping back, his eyes on Conor’s. “Conor O’Malley who needs to be punished. And why is that, Conor O’Malley? What secrets do you hide that are so terrible?”

“It is not what I want from you, Conor O’Malley, it said. It is what you want from me.“I don’t want anything from you,” Conor said.Not yet, said the monster. But you will.”

“You are the one who called me, Conor O’Malley, it said, looking at him seriously. You are the one with the answers to these questions.”

“Conor shook his head. "That's a terrible story. And a cheat." "It is a true story," the monster said. "Many things that are true feel like a cheat.”

“The Lady shrugged nonchalantly. "You're a hider. Thats what you're thinking. And you're right."May swallowed and nodded, feeling very small.The Lady kneaded her wrinkled hands. "What you are hiding from the most, my dear, is that you are none of those things you are so afraid of being - cowardly, weak, small. You aren't afraid to know you're afraid. And you're most afraid that you're stronger than you know.”