Bella wraps up all the staffs, although she's clearly running low on fabric by the time she finds number six. "Where're you from, Kanim?"

"Sathem-by-the-Mountains." He peers at her assessingly. "So, it's reasonably obvious by now, but we are both magicians, right?"

"Yes," says Bella, smiling slightly.

"That," says Kanim, "is fantastic, let's have dinner sometime."

"I am," says Bella, "engaged," and then it occurs to her that this precludes nothing, "and also gay, but we should certainly compare notes if you are not otherwise particularly occupied."

"Ah," sighs Kanim.

"I have cooperative wizard friends," Bella adds enticingly.

"That is at least four times better than a dinner date, I platonically love you forever," says Kanim.