Absorbing his words in silence, her expression fell into gentle sadness at what she heard. It was wonderful to hear about a place where magic was more free, but beyond that she lamented the implications that her beloved gods might be more strict than any others out there. If their gifts to Peter and other abandoned were indeed an indication they might be relaxing the attitude of old - if they truly were overlooking the spark and allowing attunement despite it - but... For Jigano, the implications were not quite so benevolent.
"The animal shifts are the gift of gods here" she reminded him. "In that, your place is not much altered - it seems you've been favored twice, over two worlds. I'm afraid your acquiring the spark might lessen that favor though. At least here. It might be that they will never trust you the same again, now that you've been tainted with the magic. For all that you have their favor... you also pose a danger. A risk, just as much as any of us Abandoned. I'm sorry."
She did of course know what he was. Even if it was something he'd never spoken about, and though she had never seen him shift, Maea knew what Isuma was and what it implied about the man the gryphon had bonded to.
Looking down on her hands, on the lily she still held between milky white fingers, she chewed on her lower lip for a while.
"I wish it would die off," she said softly. "If I had the choice between keeping it or attuning... I'd not even hesitate. Even if there are kinder gods, even if the world outside this place both welcome the magic and embrace it... I'd much rather be accepted by the gods I love."
Looking up, she sought Jigano's gaze, guided by the shimmering of stars and soft glow of Ludo's lantern. For a moment, his eyes seemed to glow cat-bright and eerie in the faint light; then she blinked and the sheen was gone. Had it been her imagination?
"But... well. If you're happy to have your powers back, then I'm glad for you. Don't let my views keep you from enjoying them. I'm a year behind all the changes that's happened here... it's still hard for me to grasp that the barrier is even gone." A slight attempt at a smile came out shaky and uncertain.
"The animal shifts are the gift of gods here" she reminded him. "In that, your place is not much altered - it seems you've been favored twice, over two worlds. I'm afraid your acquiring the spark might lessen that favor though. At least here. It might be that they will never trust you the same again, now that you've been tainted with the magic. For all that you have their favor... you also pose a danger. A risk, just as much as any of us Abandoned. I'm sorry."
She did of course know what he was. Even if it was something he'd never spoken about, and though she had never seen him shift, Maea knew what Isuma was and what it implied about the man the gryphon had bonded to.
Looking down on her hands, on the lily she still held between milky white fingers, she chewed on her lower lip for a while.
"I wish it would die off," she said softly. "If I had the choice between keeping it or attuning... I'd not even hesitate. Even if there are kinder gods, even if the world outside this place both welcome the magic and embrace it... I'd much rather be accepted by the gods I love."
Looking up, she sought Jigano's gaze, guided by the shimmering of stars and soft glow of Ludo's lantern. For a moment, his eyes seemed to glow cat-bright and eerie in the faint light; then she blinked and the sheen was gone. Had it been her imagination?
"But... well. If you're happy to have your powers back, then I'm glad for you. Don't let my views keep you from enjoying them. I'm a year behind all the changes that's happened here... it's still hard for me to grasp that the barrier is even gone." A slight attempt at a smile came out shaky and uncertain.
