Zasia had fully lost her cool now, ignoring Kedrin’s attempts to get her to calm down. Aldric felt his own anger spiking in response. “Like I said, that’s not up to you, Zasia! If I want to piss my life down the drain, that’s for me to decide!”

“Are you so selfish that you think your life doesn’t have any effect on anyone else? Gods above know that you have no problem roping others into your misery as well! Need I remind you what happened with the blacksmith’s daughter?”

“Oh, of course, this again!”

“Yes, because you never seem to hear me when—!”

“ENOUGH!”

Both of them flinched at Kedrin’s shout, like someone had doused them with cold water. Shouting wasn’t something their placid and good-natured friend often did.

“Yelling at each other accomplishes nothing,” he said tiredly, rubbing his temples in exasperation. “Both of you, calm down and take a breath. I believe it’s my turn to talk, yes?”

Zasia let out a noise that was somewhere between a huff and a growl as she stormed to the other end of the room. She prepared herself a cup of tea from an expensive-looking tea set, albeit with more clangs and clinks than was strictly necessary. Aldric just crossed his arms and stared out the large window behind Kedrin’s desk, a scowl set firmly on his face. It was the same argument they’d been having for years now. They’d argue, both of them would get worked up, and Aldric would run out to burn off some steam, only to be yelled at once again in the morning for being late. Rinse and repeat.

Kedrin looked back at Aldric and smiled sadly. “While she may be harsh, she has a point. It has been a very long time since I’ve last seen you, my friend, and I can tell that you are not the same man I knew all those years ago. Or if you are, I have a hard time seeing him now. The two of you butted heads constantly before, but you were never furious with each other like you are now.”

Zasia mirrored Aldric’s snort of derision at almost the same time. Kedrin just sighed again.

“I remember a young man who possessed an excitement for magic and learning that rivaled even those who claimed to be experts in their field.” Kedrin continued. “A young man who never ceased to amaze me with the things he could come up with, and the delight he took in shattering the preconceptions of what mages thought was possible. Which is why it tears our hearts to pieces to see what has become of him. Ever since—”

“Don’t.”