Ultimately, grudgingly, Shaw feels the same way: as much as both options would suck, she won't pick the one that risks actually hurting Root. The circumstances are different and so is the outcome, but to her, the decision not to assume she's a trick of the woods and walk away from her doesn't feel all that different from the choice to hold a gun to her head and pull the trigger. It's harm reduction, pure and simple.

"It's just annoying, being the only one that's weirded out by something," Shaw says - wriggling fussily in Root's grip, but pressing a palm to her arm to keep it mostly in place. "A lot of the people here are completely blasé about 'magic'."