And Colin would agree--Byerly is an ass. But Byerly also doesn't seem to be comfortable with being liked, which gives Colin a particular pleasure in liking him anyway.
"Nobles think of him as a sort of pet, I think," he muses. "Someone weak and stupid and clearly in their pocket. They think he thinks like them, so they let him in. He's in all sorts of circles, and look at who it is he helps with it."
It's as close as he can come to outright explaining Byerly's profession.
"Of course he's in all sorts of circles. He's a fan of circles." He can hear what Colin is suggesting, that Byerly is using the nobles as they try to use him, but does that really justify being so flippiant about what's caused so much pain?
"The cause is worthwhile and I'll work with him. You need have no fear of that. But I'd appreciate it if he kept his casual cruelty to a minimum. This will be fraught enough already."
"Loki. He orders her around in a way that makes her plead in a fearful way if she disagrees, manhandles her, doesn't respect her..." He shakes his head. "And that's in front of an outsider. I don't think the relationship is healthy. But I'm entirely, as mentioned, an outsider. So it's not my place to say something."
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"Nobles think of him as a sort of pet, I think," he muses. "Someone weak and stupid and clearly in their pocket. They think he thinks like them, so they let him in. He's in all sorts of circles, and look at who it is he helps with it."
It's as close as he can come to outright explaining Byerly's profession.
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"The cause is worthwhile and I'll work with him. You need have no fear of that. But I'd appreciate it if he kept his casual cruelty to a minimum. This will be fraught enough already."
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"What did you say about Lexie?"
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"Loki. He orders her around in a way that makes her plead in a fearful way if she disagrees, manhandles her, doesn't respect her..." He shakes his head. "And that's in front of an outsider. I don't think the relationship is healthy. But I'm entirely, as mentioned, an outsider. So it's not my place to say something."