A very good question. Aveline has no reason to trust him. He's given her every reason to the contrary.

"I'd like to be able to help," he says, honestly but still feeling stilted. He pauses, breathes out, and adds, "There aren't any mages, here." There are at least two without magic, but there is no Circle, no Templars, which is really what he means. At the end of that sentence, he looks up, meets her gaze again. It's...difficult. He doesn't regret what he did, but he is sorry it had to come to that.