"Sped up recordings worked though."

"Yeah, true. One can think ridiculously fast, if they don't mind having an annoying buzz in the background all the time."

"Would songs not work on deaf people, that would be interesting."

"They work while you're asleep, so it's not conscious processing they're relying on - they don't work with headphones, so it is sound - I have no idea -"

"We should try it with various volumes."

"There's probably a long list of experiments we should run and that I'm not immediately thinking of, now that we've got someone proficient with the magic side and trustworthy."

"Yeah. In light of my prospective job description maybe I should talk to him at some point."

"Maybe ask him while you're at it what their Silmarils do. They seem convinced they can do anything but they're also sworn to retrieve the things..."

"Would he be the best one to ask?"

"No, but the engineers are busy. About to be busier, since they'll be missing the baby growing up while they get immortality working."

"Unless the temporal thing is very generous and they finish immortality while the baby is four days old."

"That'd be nice of it. Is there a 'request features' box around here, Bar?"

Not as such, no.

"The engineers do run faster than us on average."

"Thaaaaaanks, landlords," Cam calls ceilingward.

"We are very deeply and profoundly grateful! Especially now that we're apprised of how history goes without you!"

The landlords do not reply.

Well, no. That would at this point be surprising, honestly.

Cam starts writing up a list of things to ask Macalaurë.

And he composes a more formal pregnancy announcement for the research teams and sends it to Conner and Idaia for review when they have a chance (he's expecting it'll be a while).

And it's not too long after that that Edie says to Tyelcormo, "So, I've got your ring design worked out; do you think it would be more romantic to give it to you in a traditional little box or make it on your finger?"

"Make it on my finger," he says, and kisses her. "Please."

She kisses back, and twines her fingers with his, and then there is something hard and smooth and cool encircling his left ring finger.

Thank you. It's beautiful.

You haven't even looked at it yet!