@empirefire liked for Essek!
They've been combing through mountains of information about their mission, mostly in silence. They already know everything they need to know, but they've looked over these files countless times, just to be sure. When Essek finally speaks, he does so without glancing up. Easier, that way. Somehow.
"It's not too late for you to change your mind, you know. Last chance to, ah, jump ship, as it were."
Caleb has had plenty of chances to back out of this one; Essek doubts he will now, but he still feels the need to offer. It’s a mission meant for wizards, particularly skilled ones, but it’s not going to be easy. Allura asked the Mighty Nein for their help and the Nein, in turn, asked Essek, so Caleb wouldn’t need to go in alone. And dangerous though it may be, Essek feels like he needs to do this. He has... a lot to make up for. This is just the first step.
But it’s going to be deep cover, into something that seems a little (a lot) like a cult and while he may not have full context of Caleb’s past, he knows that that might particularly challenging. He’s worried, maybe. Even if he doesn’t quite know how to acknowledge that.
“I don’t think anyone would blame you.”