Robin Rowle had never been much of a fighter. That had been evident when his younger brother had so easily bested him the last time, resulting in his semi-deafness in the first place. But at that comment, the anger already simmering threatened to boil over, and the wizard might have lunged at Philip if the tension in the room had not been broken by the sound of a knock at the door.

A beat, and then, "Come back later!" The words were a little breathy, but any strain would hopefully be lost in translation as they passed, muffled, through the locked door.