Altaïr has been a guarded person most of his life. He doesn't know whether that's his nature or what Al Mualim guided him to be for the man's own purposes, but it's rarely bothered him. Diana, from what he knows of her, is practically the opposite. He can see emotion on her face that he would rarely show on his own, and she speaks with empathy and forthrightness that he would struggle to express himself. Even saying as much as he has would have been difficult had she not shared her misgivings first.

She speaks and she makes him feel seen. Most days, that absolutely would bother him. But right now he finds himself surprisingly grateful.

"You speak as though faith is an easy thing." He knows it isn't, though, and that's part of the point of it. He lifts his hand to rest on hers, holding it lightly in place on his shoulder and brushing his thumb lightly against her wrist. "I'm not sure I believe it. But I will do more than stand back from now on. And your words make it easier to believe that." A small smile graces his lips. "Thank you for that."