Heal what has been hurt

An addict would also insist that they could quit whenever they wanted, Jigano knew. The test was if they 'would' follow through with it... and Maea's answer revealed that whatever she told herself, she was already as addicted to the authority she had taken upon herself as to any chemical drug. He bowed his head in acknowledgment of her decision, though there was a sadness in his chest as he did so. In the less than a season that he had known her she had already changed so much from the bright, earnest young woman he had invited to join the guild. He did not, exactly regret his decision, but if he had known then what he knew now...

Ah, but that was always the way of things, wasn't it?

"This is a fairly small price to pay to play the games of power," he said as he raised his head again, wearing the neutral smile of bard and Guildmaster with his old facility, though he let a little of his sadness through. "I have paid far worse, in truth, when I meddled with similar intentions. And so will you, I suspect, before you are through, but I recognize and respect your determination. I will not stand in your way." He exhaled slowly, reaching out to smooth a piece of paper on his desk, filled with his neat, tiny shorthand of notes, and when he looked up again it was with keener curiosity and and intent.

"Now, about that threat from the Voice you mentioned..."