They didn't have mage guilds where he was from, so he really had no idea what she was talking about. Peripherally, he was aware that there were different things, as if a little bit of Marina was seeping its way into his dream.
But this seemed to be only partially self-aware, like it was something of a memory instead of a present-day dream. He also had a million questions he wanted to ask, but, at the same time, he felt like he couldn't. He was lonely, but it was very much self-imposed.