The door slammed shut with a thud that made the walls tremble. Mydei yanked off his hat, ran a hand through his hair, and muttered something that sounded a lot like, “Damn it all.”

Another brutal day. Dust, heat, and people who didn’t listen. His shoulders ached like fire.

Phainon looked up from the couch, one eyebrow lifting. “Someone sounds like he wrestled a storm.”

Mydei shot him a tired grin. “Felt like it. Everything that could go wrong today did.” He rolled his shoulder and hissed. “Hell, I think I pulled something.”