[ With Casimir—but he doesn’t specify agreement to that specific part. Not yet. There are a few very simple ways to make sure this can’t be gone through with, if someone decides it needs to stop, and Casimir is the component that would most quietly disappear.

He does relent in the eye contact department, at least. Victory already assured on that front. He looks back at the map. ]

People need us more than they hate us. That will only last until the war ends.

[ It needs to be done here, now, regardless of who is in charge. They can only be as much trouble as they’re worth, or they’ll risk everything, but they’re worth a lot. They can move mountains.

—he thinks about Nikos, and the multitudes in Tevinter. His jaw tightens for a second. ]

We can’t help them all now. But if we know what it means, for them to be brought back— [ a twinge of uncertainty: it may be the wrong word ] —then we will not be arguing about theories and possibilities, when we have to decide what we’re willing to live with.

[ If they live at all. Maybe Corypheus will win. Kostos flicks over a pin-flag stuck into the map—solely out of ill temper, he’ll have to put it back later. ]

Are you going to report me?