"If he hasn't already waxed fine poetic verse about using butter on people and feasting on tender flesh," she groaned. The things he could write even made her flush sometimes and she hadn't even read some of his 'juicier' titles. Hopefully, she never would.

Her brow shot up in surprise. "That young?" It hadn't been that long ago that Carver and Bethany had been that old. Trying to imagine Cullen in the armor almost made her smile, though she fought to control the upturn of her lips. "But why the Templars and not the city guard? Wouldn't he have wanted you closer to home?"

Though her smile stayed, it faded somewhat and she shrugged in a feeble attempt to brush off the idea of her and Anders. "It's...not what it seems." She did care about him but not so deeply, not in a way that would be romantic. He'd become dangerous, too hollow in his anger after three years. He was changing. She'd seen it in his eyes when he almost killed the mage after he'd already helped her kill Ser Alrik. Watching him saddened her, and though she'd fight at his side and keep him safe, she could see he was going down a path she couldn't follow. "We're not together. We never were." She gave him a sad smile. "But that doesn't mean he's not lonely. We all are."