Matthias shoots a glance over at her. Ellie is looking up, so it seems safe to do so. He can't read anything in her face. He doesn't know what he's looking for, really. He doesn't know exactly the feeling that's crept into his chest.
"Because--" He swallows. "Because I didn't know what to do next. We were at Ghislain. The mages from my Circle, I mean--and the others that had joined us. We didn't join the Inquisition after the Conclave. We stayed out in the field. We weren't opposed to Grand Enchanter Fiona, we liked her, thought she was well brilliant, but we were-- we weren't ready to be finished fighting. But then the battle happened, and we went, and-- I don't reckon you were here, then. It was-- bad," and he laughs, because the word is so stupid, really, "it was bad, and they all died, nearly. So."
Matthias looks down at the floor. He swallows again.
"There were some of us left alive. And Enchanter Hennessy had said, before Ghislain-- by then, she reckoned we'd be best off to join the Inquisition. She said that before she was killed, and so I-- I did."
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"Because--" He swallows. "Because I didn't know what to do next. We were at Ghislain. The mages from my Circle, I mean--and the others that had joined us. We didn't join the Inquisition after the Conclave. We stayed out in the field. We weren't opposed to Grand Enchanter Fiona, we liked her, thought she was well brilliant, but we were-- we weren't ready to be finished fighting. But then the battle happened, and we went, and-- I don't reckon you were here, then. It was-- bad," and he laughs, because the word is so stupid, really, "it was bad, and they all died, nearly. So."
Matthias looks down at the floor. He swallows again.
"There were some of us left alive. And Enchanter Hennessy had said, before Ghislain-- by then, she reckoned we'd be best off to join the Inquisition. She said that before she was killed, and so I-- I did."