"Well, there's exile, and then there's exile," By says with an easy sort of smile. Every once of him radiates it doesn't matter to me; it's never mattered to me. Which is, perhaps, not altogether true; there is some measure of pain in how easily it had occurred to his spymaster that the perfect cover story would be Byerly has come to Riftwatch because he's had to flee his homeland in disgrace. But, well, By was the one who'd decided to look and act like a scoundrel; who could blame the man for accepting what By was offering up as his sacrifice?

"And while the loathing is real enough, it's never really gotten between me and what I want. It'll work out; you have my word."