[Hey, Ripper,] says Pattern, a while later, [Amariah wants to borrow you.]

[For...?]

[Unless you've materialized specialized magical skills of some kind, I'm going to assume she wants to have sex with you, although come to think of it Jane did not actually specify in those words.]

[Maybe she wants me to write her an anthem.]

[That is also actually possible. Maybe Jane played her the Song of Saturn and now she wants one. But she doesn't have a formal empire yet, so the timing's peculiar for it.]

[Well, whatever. She can borrow me if she wants. As long as she returns me in good condition,] he jokes.

[She will certainly do so. Probably makes the most sense to meet her in the Belltower. Save the star. Unless you want a green kingfisher.]

[I'm fine without one, thanks. Got time for a kiss on my way out?]

[Yes.]

Kiss! "Have a good time. Don't touch her owl."

Amariah gives a little wave. Path flutters one wing, then tucks away in a whorl of golden sparkles. "Hi," Amariah says. "You must be Ripper. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too!" says Ripper. "So what are you borrowing me for? Pat says sex, I say you want me to write you an anthem." He grins. "Maybe it's both."

"I don't have a political entity that needs an anthem, though I'll keep you in mind for when I do, certainly. Or if, I suppose. In my absence my world seems to have slotted me into the role of 'inscrutable messiah' over that of 'incipient queen'."

"How's that going for you?"

"I have had a number of truly terrible movies made about me, there are several cults, someone tried to kidnap my daughter and kill my boyfriend and that probably wasn't unrelated to my relationship thereto, and I have a really dumb title, which people utter in moments of distress. I can't say I care for the setup, but I'll work with it."

"Whoa," says Ripper. "I'm sorry about your family - are they okay?"

"They're fine. Kas torched a couple of times and got cursed and my mother had to torch him again to undo it, Helen was freaked out but the kidnappers didn't hurt her, my clan queen got their clan queen to turn them over and now they're cooling their heels in my afterlife."

"Better than it could've gone, I guess."

"Yep. So rumor has it you're the same template as Giles and Merryweather and nobody noticed till Glass had a look at you. The resemblance is pretty subtle."

"I haven't met either of 'em, so I wouldn't know. It can wait until the party."

"Fair enough. We don't have a date set; some of us - mostly me - are dealing with lost time at home. I am taking a break, as you probably noticed."

"Taking a break, borrowing your alts' boyfriends..." He grins. "Or am I the only one?"