Basic Thaumaturgy for the Emotionally Incompetent

Lorvan walked beside him back to his dorm, determined not to give Fabrisse the satisfaction of blaming time for his stress. They passed the Hall of Copper Stars, two empty fountains, and the statue of Pelrian the Arbitrary, who had once banned footwear inside lecture halls for reasons still unknown. Fabrisse remained quiet throughout.

After a while, Lorvan said, “You’re unusually silent.”

Fabrisse had been staring at his new, hard-earned spell, Cindermark. It had taken him two days just to unlock the Rank I version, but somehow it felt more than worth it.