"And the evidence against the mage is too easily found."

This isn't smart, arguing with her, aggravating her, but she'd asked his opinion and the guilty party isn't the mage. For one, Varric wouldn't have given Anders the book if that was the case. For the other, he's read the book.

"I am biased. Every person is. And for that reason I looked very carefully at the case against the mage. He's been set up. The author knows suspicion will naturally go to any mage, and played on that, and you walked right in. The other reason the mage looks suspicious? The pirate."

He's thankful that if the Anders-like character had to be romantically linked to someone, it's the pirate and not the angry Elf warrior. Then again, Varric wouldn't have given Anders the book if that had been the case.

"The time that's missing in both of their stories only makes sense with the bruise on the mage's neck. They were together, yes. But they were together. They weren't committing murder. I'll allow that maybe the scout is too easy, but the mage is not guilty. Where does that leave us?"