"You might be when you read them, depending on how the universe thinks your copying counts. I think probably you will be when you read them."

"I did read them. Is there a way to check? Will he have noticed himself, despite being slowed down?"

"Anyone looking at you both at once could tell. He won't notice until he meets you."

"Does this seem important enough to go find him so someone can look at us? I don't know exactly where to be careful and where not to bother, here."

"I'll mention it to my brother and it is a substantial amount of debt but it's looking like we're going to be in a situation where it's less dangerous for you to be entangled with us, pretty soon."

"Should I stop reading them? I didn't finish all the ones I made."

"I don't know how much you were getting out of them. I guess if you could wait a couple weeks that'd be good."

"I was trying to, like, figure out how you'd make plumbing work at this scale and speed, that kind of thing."

"That sounds neat but like it could wait a couple weeks?"

"Yeah, I can leave them be."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Oh, you'll be pleased probably to know that we're considering buying up a lot of humans and using them as a value sink so I can make and explain more stuff than I could soak up the debt for alone, maybe you'll be able to give them lots of concerts."

"That sounds like a great idea!"

Wag wag. "Thank you!"

"I hope it works."

"Me too."

"Do you want a ride back to your rooms?"

"Unless you want me to sit here forever, yes, please."

So he takes him back to his rooms.

"Thanks again!"

"Sure! Good luck with your plans!"

"Here's hoping."

Auda is sleeping when he gets back but startles awake when people return. She watches through the crack in her door until the faery leaves. Then she opens it.

"Hey - it's okay, he was just dropping me off."

Smile. "It's not - I'm not under the impression that it's useful for me to be so nervous around them -"