"My sister would have killed me if I'd done that." He might not be exaggerating. His sister did have that whole Death-Knight-bloodlust thing lurking beneath the surface. "But really, it was much as I'd said. I thought my role in the battle was done. I thought my efforts no longer mattered. For a brief while, disillusioned and bitter, I'd stopped caring."

A thought struck him, then, and he tilted his head at Vala as he looked at her. "You know, it just occurred to me that we might not even properly be from the time. Clearly close by, but I'd just mentally assumed you and the Vindicator were practically from the same day as I was."