I may not always know what's right, but I know I want you here tonight.

It didn’t come as any great surprise. Mallos had known for some time now that Croe didn’t entirely live up to her icy reputation. He didn’t react much to the news other than to sigh gently.

“Yeah. She saved my life too, when I was without divinity.”

He didn’t elaborate, but Tristan was bright enough to work it out. When the ancient creature had stolen all the magic from Shaman, Mallos had spent the first few months confined to a room in the hospital wing because he couldn’t tell fantasy from reality. During that period, he’d gone missing for several days and had returned with a nasty but largely healed chest wound. Unquestionably, it was a wound which would have been fatal if it hadn’t been tended to so carefully. Mallos hadn’t talked about where he’d been or how he’d acquired the injury at the time.

Arthur, it seemed, owed the lives of half his family to the pirate lord he was currently holding captive.

“Her trial’s not concluded, so it would help if you could tell your father that.” He leant back against the pillows and pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead, trying to ward off exhaustion. “Listen, Tristan… Arthur’s a good person. So are you. Good people don’t tend to understand the criminal mindset, however much they think they do.” The edges of the room were blurring. Mallos pulled himself more upright again, considering how readily he would empty his bank accounts for one, good night’s sleep. “You need to know two things about criminals. One – most of them aren’t evil. They’re driven to it. And two… retribution doesn’t work.”

He paused, distracted by Ángela, who chose that moment to open her eyes and yawn pointedly. Mallos transferred her to his other arm to relieve the pins and needles.

“Retribution doesn’t work.” He repeated. “Most criminals recommit because of the condemnation of ‘better’ people. If you want to make the world safer… find out why people do the things they do. Put them on a better path and help them redirect their energy. The gains in loyalty and security are worth more than the deterrent.”

Mallos
I've learned enough to know I'm never letting go