Kell can see the manipulation happening in real time. He's not all that great at picking up such things when they happen to him. After his grandest fiasco, he could say that sadly he's pretty gullible. But it's one thing to have it done to you, and another to see it done to other people. See it so clearly it makes him want to scream a warning to that past Istredd. It's all there, the strings, the promise, the lie. It's painful to watch. Kell can't hide his disgust for Istredd's mentor. What a horrible, horrible man. He might have cared, yes, but not about Istredd. It was only as an investment, a vital piece in his plans. Plans that he never expected to be questioned, only requiring of his prized possession to follow along and do what its told. It would have been actually better if Stregobor had no recognition that said prized possession is a person with his own needs, interests and plans. But he had. Had so much of it that he was able to use exactly that to pull just the right strings. To sow enough doubt. It's exactly why his manipulation was so effective.

Kell blinks to yank his vision from within to Istredd's physical presence. The strange mixture of lingering revulsion at Stregobor, determination to get his message across and wonder how it applies to him all to obvious when he speaks.

"I believe you. I do."

Kell might have doubts before, but Istredd has let him see into his heart and mind. There are no doubts after what he saw there. Istredd's mentor Stregobor was a cold and cruel man. He wouldn't have know love if it had bit him. But Istredd does. He loves and he cares. Kell still hasn't shaken away the shock that some of that care is for him.