"Bribery never hurts." Greed has been one of the driving forces of Jesper's life for years, but it's never mattered more to him than loyalty to those he loves. Any mistakes he's made due to greed were not meant to harm others, but sometimes it did. He has been a lot better here and he wants to prove that to Kaz, he wants him to see it. Just two minutes in and already Jesper's desperate as usual for Kaz's approval, but that's just how things go with them.

Jesper has learned some common spells here for himself, so he knows the difference between the magic here and the small science, but it feels like it comes from a similar place. He doesn't bother to explain the difference to people. Supernatural abilities are what they are.

He nods when he says six months, and he has the good grace to look chagrined at where Kaz takes it. It's true, Jesper could have become an incredible Durast in the past few years, but he's always had his reasons, and none of them are truly rational. It comes from a real place of fear and also of self-hate, and he's been set free from both of them.

"It wouldn't exactly be safe, being a skilled Durast free from the Second Army. Not even with you." It isn't that Jesper doubts Kaz would have done anything to protect him, as would the others, but they know how dangerous things still are. In Ketterdam, Grisha could be sold just as easily as they did any other person.

"Free Cities doesn't love magic, but they all can use it. So can you."