[ For what it's worth, Byerly also feels a surge of anger. Bastien was sitting on the floor? And Benedict didn't recognize that for the crisis it was? Maker, if Byerly found Bastien sitting on the floor, then he'd climb down beside him and hold him and - Well, do much what he's doing right now, in short, which is the prerogative of a lover, and maybe he shouldn't be angry with the boy for not knowing how to treat his inscrutable beloved.

But. He tries to be fair. ]

That sounds like I deserve your anger, then. For not putting anything more than that in the letter. [ A beat - ] The magic thing was asinine, though.