Oh? It seemed Maea had been busy indeed of late, getting around far faster than he had. Jigano simply nodded gratefully at Loren's news, outwardly glad. Inwardly? Well, that was more complicated, but this was neither the time nor the place for it, and the summoner seemed as though he wanted the bard gone sooner rather than later.
Or at least, he'd expected to be asked to leave, now that he'd asked his questions three. A brow did rise in surprise at the return query from his friend, however, and he paused, studying Loren's face in turn even as the summoner studied him. "I did," he affirmed neutrally, remembering the ambush she had orchestrated in the Guildhall. "As for why... I don't trust Zariah." He said the words bluntly, meeting Loren's eyes squarely. "She tried to build her own private army in the Hollowed Grounds before, and she seemed to be trying to create a new social hierarchy with mages at the top and all others below. From what I've heard of Northwind it sounded like she was trying to recreate it, with herself at the helm." He paused for a breath, memories of hiding and being hunted by her lackeys swirling darkly through his mind. "It sounds like she's doing it again, here, and the 'magic school' is a tool of that ambition, with the 'Tyrant' moniker hidden a little more subtly behind Neron's throne this time. Perhaps I'm wrong. But even if I'm not, it doesn't change that she once tried to use the Loreseekers as a weapon, threatening to take apart the Guild in a personal feud with me, when I refused to accede to her demands to join her little army. Or that she then proceeded to threaten Amalia to try and get to me." His gaze had darkened at that, flickers of an anger that had been banked and recently stirred once more to life sizzling in the bond. "Perhaps she has moved on. Perhaps not. The problem is that if I guess wrong, it's once again my friends and guildmates who will pay the price. I won't let Maea be used as a pawn like that. If she isn't a Loreseeker when she joins Zariah's school, then Zariah will have no reason to threaten her as she did Amalia. If Maea can learn from a friend, though, then there's no reason to worry about her guild affiliation endangering her."
Or at least, he'd expected to be asked to leave, now that he'd asked his questions three. A brow did rise in surprise at the return query from his friend, however, and he paused, studying Loren's face in turn even as the summoner studied him. "I did," he affirmed neutrally, remembering the ambush she had orchestrated in the Guildhall. "As for why... I don't trust Zariah." He said the words bluntly, meeting Loren's eyes squarely. "She tried to build her own private army in the Hollowed Grounds before, and she seemed to be trying to create a new social hierarchy with mages at the top and all others below. From what I've heard of Northwind it sounded like she was trying to recreate it, with herself at the helm." He paused for a breath, memories of hiding and being hunted by her lackeys swirling darkly through his mind. "It sounds like she's doing it again, here, and the 'magic school' is a tool of that ambition, with the 'Tyrant' moniker hidden a little more subtly behind Neron's throne this time. Perhaps I'm wrong. But even if I'm not, it doesn't change that she once tried to use the Loreseekers as a weapon, threatening to take apart the Guild in a personal feud with me, when I refused to accede to her demands to join her little army. Or that she then proceeded to threaten Amalia to try and get to me." His gaze had darkened at that, flickers of an anger that had been banked and recently stirred once more to life sizzling in the bond. "Perhaps she has moved on. Perhaps not. The problem is that if I guess wrong, it's once again my friends and guildmates who will pay the price. I won't let Maea be used as a pawn like that. If she isn't a Loreseeker when she joins Zariah's school, then Zariah will have no reason to threaten her as she did Amalia. If Maea can learn from a friend, though, then there's no reason to worry about her guild affiliation endangering her."
