Yeah, there's the Horvath he knows. He sinks back in his chair a little, clutching his water bottle for safety. Forget magic—he can always pitch it at Horvath's head and run!

Or not.

His apology, at least, is genuine. There's something about Horvath that actually pings Dave's empathy center. It's a weird sensation, but he can't ignore it. He's not that rude. "Sorry."

To address Balthazar's question, "Anyway, I know a little. I studied physics in college, so I have that under my belt, but I haven't really studied what the Encantus has to say about it. Not yet, anyway. So this whole thing is just... one really big accident."