This earns a look up, Bastien's eyes glinting with a little mischief in the firelight for a moment of obvious consideration. Calling Byerly a hysteric might be fun. But when that look slides to Benedict, the good humor fades, and he's quick to look down at the paper again.

"He came to tell me he was sorry for how things went when you all had forgotten us," he says, "and I gave him a hard time for about ten seconds, and he had a tantrum about it."

Because he's weak! Your protege is weak, Byerly!