Inessa tilts her head and looks at Bethany, thoughtful. "You have a strong will and a keen mind. I believe that would have spoken in your favor, though whether or not you would have enjoyed it depends on many other factors.

Sometimes, it's not a matter of if you are a danger. I hurt no one, but without a Circle, I would likely not have survived, let alone thrived. There are many other mages who have had nowhere else to go, and being sent elsewhere freed them from a bad situation. That, I suppose, speaks of the system in general more than anything else, but it's still a perspective worth considering. Choice should be a factor, but I don't necessarily see it as an either/or situation. Circles can be akin to boarding schools for those who need them, and there should be other types of schooling for those who don't. Even if they don't need a sanctuary, it's helpful to interact with and learn from other mages."