It's understandable. People rarely enjoy being manipulated. But if it's a choice between playing into the Trumps' hands or innocents suffering...

[Byerly very nearly shrugs, before reminding himself that Arlert can't see and the gesture would be meaningless.

He's saying so many things that the Byerly Vorrutyer of Vorbarr Sultana couldn't say, that even the Byerly of Cordonnah Station couldn't, except perhaps to Rish, and it's so damn liberating.]