“If it being hard was enough reason not to do it, you wouldn't be doing any of this,” Gwenaëlle says, with a shrug. “And freedom's not a thing you just have and then you're done. You want to live in the world as more than a weapon in a war, it's going to mean talking to more people than just mages— seems like people with shared interests might be a worthwhile place to start. The enemy of my enemy...”

She crosses her ankles, leaning back against the wall.

“But you don't have to stop this to do that. You can make friends anytime. Derrica had some thoughts about it, too. I'm not talking about scattering, just about being more forward-thinking. The Loyalists are thinking about what they want the world to look like, when they're done. Rowntree, when he said people should imagine their futures, I think he was right, that's all.”

A twist of her mouth, “And, you know, you've got elven mages. Say you get freedom. What's that mean for them?”