[Of course a Magister. Why would it be anything else? He exhales and closes his eyes a moment.]

You were slaves. Or servants.

[He suspects the former. If you're just property, then there's no real loss to be killed or damaged as a warning. Something he knows far too well.]

I can't truly imagine what it is like to be in your situation. Nor can I consider that Anders would have the ability to, either.

[It's difficult. He feels deeply for Nerva, and he is fond of Anders. Fate could never hope the two of them to really come to see eye to eye on anything, and he doesn't expect them to.]