[It was kind of a lot and Soren's evaluation wrings a noise that might be charitably called a laugh out of Myr.]

No, never apologize for the truth. It'd have come out sooner or later--and truly, I'm happier knowing what the stakes are.

[He pauses, himself, considering for a long moment. How far will you pursue a painful truth, Myrobalan?

...Perhaps this is one to be taken up with the man himself, though how much Viren knew about his own ending, well. (How much Viren would tell about his own ending if he'd learned about it second-hand... well, again.)

Let it go--for now.]

Because he does have very devoted friends here--people do care about him and we'd not like to lose him. [Even if it sounded like losing the Dragon to his own hurts and obsessions was...a real risk.

Mark that one down for a later worry.]

Still--let's leave that one be for now, since you'd wanted to talk Bonds and magic, right? [Cheerful subject change time! He's here with you, Soren.]

Have you had much experience working with plants? And how long have you been about healing, anyway? Did you do any back home?

[Oh, wait, probably not--given dark magic--but the question slips out anyway.]