"Hmm." The thin man rises as well. When did he pick up his hat? Well, he puts it on now. "I cannot promise that this will be the next favor, but I will tell you that I expect to be saving one. I have something of a rival in the Nexus at the moment, a loud, boorish, tempestuous lout of a mage who issues me a challenge." He sighs.

"The day may come when I can no longer put off his demands for a final accounting. On that day, your task shall be to aid me against him in magical combat." He flashes a brief, thin smile. "And in the meantime, I would thank you not to forewarn him--it would go much better as a surprise."