“That makes things,” Stephen muses, “a little delicate and uncomfortable for whatever happens if-when this war actually ends, then.”

What happens to the mages? What happens to the rifters? Does the Chantry scoop them all back up? He’s been aware, in a distant sort of way, that it’s a dilemma looming over all of their heads in the abstract, while they currently enjoy this temporary limbo of freedom and autonomy. The bill will come due someday, but —

“Although I suppose I’m fine kicking that issue down the road for our Future Selves to deal with instead. One problem at a time. Considering we haven’t exactly solved our current one.”