"I'm sure you saw it," he says, smearing bruise paste on his forehead, "but it turned out better than I'd hoped for. In any case, I am bruised to hell and back, and should probably take care of those."

He glances down at the lines the wizard cut into the ice. "But, speaking of things turning out better than I expected," he says, "I'm impressed with your skating, Rabastan. Not half bad, for a neophyte. Not half bad, indeed."