"Then you're wiser than most," he observed mildly; it's less a compliment for her and more an indictment of others' foolishness, as far as he's concerned.

Now that he's settled down from his initial alarm and is satisfied as to the nature of her intentions, Altaïr takes a moment to assess her in another way, as much as he can in a few seconds. She's tall and strong, clearly no stranger to physical activity — it reminds him faintly of the woman who'd stood in for de Sablé in Jerusalem.

"Exercise, at times," he replies. "I don't care to become one of Cadens' soldiers or make use of their facilities. I also find it's better to learn the lay of the land from above, looking down."