"It's probably good for both of us to take a few minutes to breathe." Istredd will continue his shielding but as Lucifer often points out, sloppy work is done when the person is too tired. It is why he has been somewhat good at taking breaks and forcing himself to go home in the evenings when he's worn through. It's better in the morning.

"Ah." Istredd sighs, rubbing a hand through his hair. "I am somewhat responsible, I did ask her about the rune, I never thought she would try to use it herself." Which means he is not responsible, Himeka used it as she saw fit, but he is always willing to make himself the problem. It was a shock still to get that message and know she was in danger, but luckily she was very hard to miss.

"Let's just be glad that it was edible. She managed to get her head out before I got there." At the time Istredd kept trying to make her stop eating more of it because it could be poisonous, but Himeka clearly has a strong mind of her own. And he assumes being trapped, no matter how good-natured she is, was annoying.

"That damned god seemed to be having fun with several of us that night."