Elaine MacGregory isn't happy to see me, carding her hand through her bright red hair as she says "I've got customers that come in".

It's late at night here, though, and her shop's empty.

When Rory and I don't bite, she sighs and muscles past us to Flick off the "Yes! We're Open" light.

"I don't know anything," Elaine says. "Please leave."

"There was a break-in at—"

"There's always a break-in!" Elaine yells, temper flaring. "Or a theft, or some strange disturbance that requires someone, somewhere, to ask whether I'm back in the game."

"Not ones involving Decay, Elaine."

Elaine's focus flits between me and Rory, probing to see whether it's the truth. "Bullshit," she says after her assessment. "No. No way."

"Why?"

"Because it'd have to be fresh! Decay doesn't last, and the last time I saw Dee use that stuff is when I decided I was out."

Elaine unbuttons the cuff of her sleeve, and pulls it up slightly to reveal the metal band encircling her wrist. "I've never regretted it. I just wish you people would stop coming around." She brings it closer. "Check it. The seal's intact."

"Elaine—" I start, but Elaine just holds it out to me.

I relent, and cast a cantrip; its a single rune whose only purpose is to act as a universal trigger for enchantments.

The metal band around her wrist pulls the rune into it, and then a small flat section of the band lights up: 10Y 2W 5D 6H.

I look to Rory, thankful that he's here. I know magic, but he knows enchantments and artifacts better than basically anyone else on Earth. He steps forward. "I'd like to inspect it, if..."

Elaine gives him a defeated wave of her hand. "If it'll get you both to leave."

I step away from the two as Rory gets to work and wander over to a nearby wall cluttered with a mish-mash of photos. In each, Elaine's with a group of different people. Customers who she's helped, or that found something noteworthy while they were out.

Her smile in every one is genuine.

Sometimes I wonder if I'd be able to do what she did: give it all up and go live a small, anonymous life somewhere nobody would find me. I wouldn't miss the praise or the pressure. I wouldn't even miss the fans, even if I like getting to know their stories.

Only problem? Nobody would let me.

When Rory and I tried to enforce some boundaries around how the fans interacted with us, a few took it as a challenge. One even found my cell phone number and tried to convince me that I'd booked an event that I'd forgotten... all just to meet me.

Maybe that'd change if I just went, though.

No warning. No press release. Nothing. If I just didn't show up one day as Magisorcerer Tiana, would the world let me?

I reach out to one of the photos, picking it up off the wall. Eileen looks so young in it. It can't have been taken more than a few months after she turned on Desdemona.

In it, she's got her arms thrown around two people, grinning to whoever's behind the camera. Life hasn't broken her yet. There's still promise, trapped in the still life of this moment.

I trace my gloved fingers over her smile, and hate myself that I'm here. She doesn't know anything.

As I pull my fingers away, though, the picture's changed. Rather than a toothy smile, Elaine's smirking. Staring at me through the picture. Then her face begins to burn in the frame.

God, no.

No please not here.

I drop the picture and it shatters, drawing Elaine and Rory's attention.

"We have to go," I say. I blink forward and grasp for each of their wrists, but before I can even touch them, a force pushes them back. Out of reach.

A cage made of sickly purple energy closes around Rory, binding him in place.

It's Elaine I can't stop looking at, though. She's scared.

She should be. Dropping the cloaking spell, Desdemona grasps her by the throat. "Elaine. We're gonna have to have a conversation, you and me, about acceptable work practices."

Desdemona's head lolls towards me, and I feel it. The thing stirring inside me. The Decay she warped.

It wants something. It wants what I want, and I want what Desdemona wants.

"And as for you, dear girl..." That voice. Just her voice causes that same flood of chemical reactions from before.

I want her.

She's evil.

I want to obey her.

She'll destroy me.

I need to be hers.

She'll hurt Kam.

Kam. No. That's reason enough to resist her. I clench my fists as tight as I can, and remember that I have better than her. I don't need Desdemona.

"Let her go," I growl.

Desdemona just laughs. "All that Decay inside you... You even sound like Kammie!"

"What?!" Rory exclaims.

I look to him. "It's not what it... I..." But I have no way to explain this that would make sense.

This. This is the betrayal I feared I'd see in his eyes. Not about Kam, but about me.

"Do you two need a moment?" Desdemona taunts. "Feel free."

"No, please!" Elaine screams.

I glance back in time to see a thin, crimson tail slithering into Elaine's mouth. Decay.

Desdemona drops her to the floor as she writhes, unable to fight against what's happening inside her.

"Oh, god..." Rory says. "Tiana... How could you?"

I can't prove to him that he's wrong with words.

And I want to prove to Rory that he is wrong. So I blink out of her field of view, even as I hear her begin chanting. It took focus and concentration for her to enact her will on me before, so all I have to do is hit my mistress.

No.

Wait. Not that.

No. She's not...

Everything's so far away...

Magisorcerer Tiana's fist stops inches from Desdemona's face, and then drops limp. "I'm sorry," she says. "That was impolite of me."

"Yes. It was, Tiana." Desdemona rolls her eyes. "I swear, you Magisorcerers are always so quick to the punching."

Elaine stirs, her fight long since gone out.

"I'm sorry, too, Miss," Elaine says. "I shouldn't have betrayed you."

Her apology earns her a swift kick to the stomach. "No. You shouldn't have."

"Thank you, Miss," Elaine gasps out, unable to catch her breath.

"You won't get away with this," Rory says, defiant even now.

"I already have." Desdemona turns to look at Magicsorcerer Tiana. "Take care of him, won't you?"

Magicsorcerer Tiana blinks over to Rory, arcane energies roiling in her grasp.

He simply looks at her. At me. "It's okay," he says.

I claw back enough control for one moment. One act of rebellion.

I can't prove it with words, so I send him to the only person I know can help him.