Jigano mirrored Loren's eyebrow raise as the interrogation continued, and he bit back the twinge of hurt, a petty pain that he had no time nor patience to feed. She has been uncertain and afraid before... and between one week and the next went from that to ambitiously grasping for power. From tentative and hesitant to as righteously rigid as I ever am in keeping that power, unwilling to consider giving it up. But then she became sick and vanished... and so we ended up with Zariah. He sighed at last and shook his head. And I'm trying to find her other options. That's one reason why I'm here with you now. Why I'll try and talk to Deimos later. She ambushed me with Sunjata and gave me a single demand: that she come here, to study with Zariah. I was mistaken to give her a binary in return, but I'm trying to put it right and find others who can teach her as well, if not better.
Loren's further questioning came out as pointed as Sunjata's had been, and the bard shook his head but met the summoner's gaze squarely. "There is a place for spies," he said with quiet dignity. "But the Loreseekers are not that guild. We seek knowledge, yes, but not through 'any means necessary.' I sacrificed my soul once in the name of ends justifying means, and I will not do so again, Loren, nor do I want the guild that I built to be associated with that. I am well aware that it will not win me many allies, and it has already made me enemies, but I find the other price too high to pay a second time." He studied his friend's back as Loren turned away, then drew in a slow breath and headed for the door, swallowing against the hollow feeling in his gut.
"I will leave you to your grieving, then. I'm glad you still have people you care for in this world. I hope we'll see each other again soon, if you have time." It was far from a graceful exit, but his tongue felt heavy as he cast his mind back to the chaos Maea had sowed before her disappearance, and wondered if it was already happening again in the few weeks since she had returned after the Fiat Lux disaster.
Loren's further questioning came out as pointed as Sunjata's had been, and the bard shook his head but met the summoner's gaze squarely. "There is a place for spies," he said with quiet dignity. "But the Loreseekers are not that guild. We seek knowledge, yes, but not through 'any means necessary.' I sacrificed my soul once in the name of ends justifying means, and I will not do so again, Loren, nor do I want the guild that I built to be associated with that. I am well aware that it will not win me many allies, and it has already made me enemies, but I find the other price too high to pay a second time." He studied his friend's back as Loren turned away, then drew in a slow breath and headed for the door, swallowing against the hollow feeling in his gut.
"I will leave you to your grieving, then. I'm glad you still have people you care for in this world. I hope we'll see each other again soon, if you have time." It was far from a graceful exit, but his tongue felt heavy as he cast his mind back to the chaos Maea had sowed before her disappearance, and wondered if it was already happening again in the few weeks since she had returned after the Fiat Lux disaster.
