[ he slips the basket into the crook of his right arm — the one with the burnt hand — and skuffs the fingers of his left through his hair tiredly, then jabs his thumb over his shoulder in the direction he came from. ]

You know the big house that's kind of shaped like a triangle? The old lady living there wanted to know if her house spirit was happy with where she was putting her furniture.

[ ... as he was moving it for her. the things he does for money

(the mages guild apparently gets this request every few years or so, when she wants to change her layout. mako got the job simply because he is the only one in the guild who can bench press a number anywhere near his own weight.

ugh ]