Cullen's mouth firms to a thinner line. He glances over to be sure no one is listening to them and turns to face away from anyone who might be able to read his lips. "I don't," he says, voice low but filled with conviction.
"I know what this looks like to you. You're not local. You don't know the entirety of what has brought us to this point. I do not intend to allow every mage in that building to be slaughtered. Some of the others will listen to me and follow me when the time is right." His gaze sharpens.
"I can't expect that if you undermine me before then. Do you understand? If you start killing templars to try to stop this, then they will cut you down. They might cut me down, too, for bringing you here, and then no one is going to step up and do anything to stop this. We can't save everyone who deserves it. We can save some of them, if we keep our heads about it." His look is very direct, and there's as much a plea in it as conviction. He knows he has no reason to trust him. He can only pray that he's willing to listen to sense, or things will get even uglier than they already are.
no subject
"I know what this looks like to you. You're not local. You don't know the entirety of what has brought us to this point. I do not intend to allow every mage in that building to be slaughtered. Some of the others will listen to me and follow me when the time is right." His gaze sharpens.
"I can't expect that if you undermine me before then. Do you understand? If you start killing templars to try to stop this, then they will cut you down. They might cut me down, too, for bringing you here, and then no one is going to step up and do anything to stop this. We can't save everyone who deserves it. We can save some of them, if we keep our heads about it." His look is very direct, and there's as much a plea in it as conviction. He knows he has no reason to trust him. He can only pray that he's willing to listen to sense, or things will get even uglier than they already are.