"I'll try to avoid it. How... you are you?"

"I'm not anyone else. I don't think I'm missing any of me, but maybe eventually it'll turn out I can't sing or something."

"...this is significantly different than what I'd been led to expect ghosts were like, even modulo the extra humanity."

"The Shepherd might have had something to do with that."

"He stole your afterlife. At least that's what his boss said he did, was keeping you here."

"The Lord is a jerk."

"You don't have to tell me twice.

I think he's weaker than he lets on, though. He'd gloat over us trophies and draw power from us being there; rescuing me would have hurt him."

"Did hurt him, then. And—everyone's weaker than they let on, it's part of the whole schtick, is lying without really lying."

"I was never much for that stuff. Maybe I should have been. Though I'm not so sure about that being everyone."

She shrugs. "If power is partially measured by how much power people think you have..." Headshake. "Anyway. Di and I have been thinking—" And she outlines everything they've discussed about Conquest's powers and allies while Doug was enghosted.

Also their own distinct lack of plans.

"Running still looks like the obvious move. At least for Di and me, and maybe you. It's not likely that Susan Fell can help you, or that Isadora or the Sisters would."

"Likely or not, it seems like our best lead."

"Worth following up on. It'd have to be you alone, though, since everyone else is either wanted or doesn't officially exist. Or maybe me; I'm not easily recognizable now."

"You're easily recognisable as an Other at any rate and people might be curious as to why an Other is interested... not to mention anyone with a keen eye for relationships and enchantment might know whose familiar you are."

Pause. "Just you, then. Though there is some of the same risk, if they manage to guess who you've been associating with..."

"Well, it was known that we were dating..." She pauses. "I'm not sure whether it'd be better to break up and say we did or say that I didn't get the chance to or something along those lines that wouldn't be a lie. I did not ever actually say I was planning to move against the Lord, and I genuinely did not know she was planning this."

"You didn't?" The surprise is evident in Diana's voice. "Say it, I mean. And you still haven't, have you. Clever.

I don't think anyone's going to punish you for associating with me, but people who know might want you for interrogation."

"Yeah which is why I need to think about how to word things so as to make myself seem innocent. Perhaps I should pretend I'm angry or hurt or confused or something. You could write a note telling me what you'd done? So I can say you did."

"I can do that. I uh, rescued Doug and ran, you deserve to know where I ran to but I'm still not writing it for secrecy reasons?"

"Sure, that works."

She starts drafting.

Sam,

There's something I need to tell you. Conquest. Doug didn't just die, Conquest killed him and took his spirit as a prize. I finally rescued Doug, or stole him back as Conquest would see it, and am persona non grata in Toronto now. So I'm fleeing. Fleeing and making sure his people can't get any use out of my setup after I'm gone. You shouldn't have to find out by finding a note in the ashes of the workshop, and you deserve to know where I'm running to, but I'm leaving that out. Anything you don't know, Conquest can't force you to say if he thinks to interrogate you. I'll try to contact you again once it's safe.

I'm sorry.

The note is unsigned. Then Doug taps on part of it and she says "Doug didn't just die, by the way; the Lord imprisoned his spirit afterward. There, now it's all true. I'll leave the note for you on the table or something and you can drop it and find it at the site tomorrow."

"I wonder if they won't find it—weird—if I don't feel at least a little bit conflicted about Conquest after that."

"They will. You can be angry, even; he won't mind if he thinks he can successfully intimidate you."

"Hmmm, yeah, I think I can pull it off. ...should I storm his place, demand an explanation?"

"Maybe just fail to hide being angry when talking to other people. If you demand an explanation he'll have one, and that doesn't get us anywhere."

"Fair enough."