"I'd really rather--" he starts, but his words choke off as she continues fussing over Rabastan.

I don't want this, the boy thinks helplessly. His arms dangle at his sides, and his fingers are numb. The last time I saw him, he slammed me against a wall and made all of those terrible assumptions and forbid me from using the library again--and yet now I've made him cry just by being here, so why do I feel like I should be the one to make amends?

Clearly this all needs looking into. "On two conditions," he says tightly, and sets his jaw. "No magic, and no giga ant eggs."