The assurance feels like a kindness, as Leander glancingly passes over what has always seemed to Ellis to be a particular deficiency. His reply is similarly delayed, attention diverted to a soft cluck of his tongue in encouragement to the horses and light snap of the reins to spur them on before he directs a brief, sideways flicker of a smile.

"I won't hold you to that," he promises. "Should you decide to take it back on the occasion I do volunteer an opinion."

Some theoretical occasion that Ellis doesn't expect to materialize beyond this outing. There's better company in Riftwatch. He's aware of that.

"You've taught yourself?" Ellis continues, eyes shifting away from Leander back to the road, the reins in his hands. "About art?"