"I found myself at a ball elsewhere. Minds muddled, memories mixed. Everything there hurt but the house hurt the most."

Which probably doesn't help explain anything to Solas. But, at least in Cole's mind, his explanation makes perfect sense and he's explaining it in a way like he expects Solas to understand what he's talking about.

He arrived, brought in with specters and stolen, captured by a different fae to help populate an event. To serve as a warm body and a dance partner. The end result...wouldn't have been well, but the Ringmaster freed him instead.