"Aye." Bert half-smiled, rather wryly, and pushed himself to his feet. "Good luck taming the dragon, Ro'."

"Shut up," Roland retorted, and for a moment, that youthful ease was between them again, as if they'd forgotten the mess they were in the middle of. Bert smiled, a real true smile, and punched his friend in the arm.

"Never have, and never will," he said cheerily, but the falsity of it was already starting to gather again. Letting his hand drop back to his side, he moved back to help Kaine clear up their trash, and didn't look up until Roland was gone, loping off after Nariko.

After a moment more, he straightened up. "So. Library?"