Bastien gives a sweeping-hand shrugged that means yes, everything, beginning with confirmation that this ambiguously-referenced SF wrote the letters rather than being tangentially involved in some other way, but—

"If you are going to look at the letters anyway, I'm not sure it worth trying to wiggle more facts out of him. Maybe he will be more chatty on the road, when he can be more certain having information is not the only thing keeping him alive."

If he were to behave the way he feels, he would sulkily kick the little rock near his boots. Instead he steps on top of it and rolls it in a circle with his foot.

"The Scoutmaster knows we have a spy. And the Ambassador," because of course Bastien told Byerly. "Rowntree has been concerned for some time."

This had to be about Marcus himself, Tsenka said—and it seems likely. A rebel mage with a worrisome history, and one of the people most doggedly sniffing after her trail. Twofer. He thinks of the blood mage he encountered with Fitcher, years ago. She stabbed him with a candelabrum. He stops his rock-rolling.

"We should have invited you, Seeker. But this seemed to be a Chantry spy, you are a Chantry affiliate—you know how it goes."