Talk:Bloodbound, Book 3 Choices/@comment-45496003-20200426131403/@comment-45496003-20200427174212

A lot of excellent points there! And honestly I'm not about to argue with anything you've said because all of that is perfectly true! It also wasn't my meaning at all that it should be rainbows and unicorns from now on and all of his crimes are magically erased, far from it. Just offering a different perspective because honestly, judging people for the same sins you're guilty of is just not cool.

Not to take manipulation and mind games lightly (it is a very real issue and one that many people are suffering from irl), but this just adds to my argument. Take the manipulations up a notch (because Rheya), add the most powerful magic on top of that and you'll get Gaius. Adrian and Kamilah were able to break free from his lies on their own, but for Gaius, there wasn't anything he could do to fight it, MC said so herself. This doesn't erase any of his crimes but to me this hardly counts as free will if he was literally stripped of all capacity to be a better person (unlike the people he was manipulating).

And yes, I really feel for Gaius. For me at least it is way worse (and takes way more courage) to face the fact that it was really you who did all those horrible things. He seemed to feel genuine remorse and already was taking steps to try and make things right. This also takes immense courage and strength, and I am happy he got a second chance (even with Kamilah becase what's a thousand years for them right :) ). I hear what you say, Adrian and Kamilah both were victims of his abuse for centuries not to mention the more recent events. I guess it just goes to show what makes MC special :) Compassion despite everything, fair judgement and faith in people even when they are at their lowest.