Being a mage is a solitary profession. Being part of the Magistrate of Limboratii helps, but still, nobody wants to be friends with the prodigy, with the overachiever, the soon-to-be-Archmage Arran Kerodin. Except for Tristan. He's no mage, just a man blown into the city by the desert winds, hunted by a monster. As Arran and Tristan grow closer, the Archmage becomes suspicious of Tristan's place in Arran's life. Friendship...