"I - don't know." The words are fraught, in a way he knows she'll recognise. None of them are entirely honest with each other, are they? Not when it comes to their duties, to the city they've given everything to.

"They wanted information - to know how he got here and why. What gave him the power he has." He's looking at Laerryn again, thinking about anything else they might have let slip; he hasn't noticed that his hand is stroking Neal's arm, slow and soothing. Evandrin had had nightmares too, sometimes.

Finally, he shakes his head. "We didn't give them a lot of time."