"Blood magic?" Why is he surprised? Fine, it's magic. He won't be able to convince anyone otherwise, so there's no further point in disputing it. But his smile tightens a little bit at her mention of consequences. She doesn't know the half of what he's given to get where he is now.

"If there are consequences, then I've paid them," he says, his tone taking a dark edge before he finishes his mead. "But this is who I am now, for better or worse."