"Yes," he says, amused. "Also kind of cute."

Iobel makes an unbelieving snort.

"You sound... like you don't believe me. That's ridiculous, I'm a terrible liar. The absolute worst."

"Well, I don't think you'd be saying it if you weren't concussed, which isn't quite the same thing."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because - I'm starting to feel like I've gone mad. Or like I've lost my filter, I'm not sure which. Both? It could be both."

"It could. You did hit your head. You just need to stay awake until midnight and it'll be okay and hopefully you will restrain your violent impulses."

"Mhmmm," he agrees.

"Words."

"Words, indeed. You realize I'm running out of topics?"

"Then we'll come up with something else. We've been here - it feels like such a long time -" She checks. "I still can't charge, though."

"Wish there was a way to tell the time. Then we could get a countdown set up when it's about to reach midnight." He makes a little jazz-hands motion with his other hand - jostling the fracture. " - Ow, fuck. Bad idea."

"I know a hex to make clocks, I used to stock them, but obviously that would be a poor choice after midnight and intractable before."

"Oh no, by all means, make a clock and leave me to die."

Iobel snorts. "You've revealed my wicked plot, there, certainly."

"Yes. You just had to drop a building on me, then make a clock. I definitely didn't see it coming."

"But there's a fountain in Panhar that says I couldn't have dropped the building on you."

"That," declares Edarial, "was a joke."

"I was playing along with the extension of the scenario."

"Ha! Ow... Were you? I'm sorry, I think I messed that up."

"It's okay. I'm told I have a good deadpan."

"You do."

"Thank you." Beat. "Topics. Uh. I'm worried I will lull you to sleep if I sing a song but that's all that's coming into my head right now."

"I feel like I should offer to sing but I don't think that's a good idea, either."