#nyrasis

“Indeed he does,” rumbled a voice behind them, like rocks sliding together, and Nyrasis and Iseult whirled, talons out, as Korst appeared in the tunnel, her gilded horns glittering in the light. Astrophel hissed and pressed himself back against the rocky cave wall.

Tybal and Aslesa filled the tunnel in front of them, golden and brown eyes shining fiercely. “Looks like we found our traitor,” growled Tybal, scraping his claws along the rock.

“Gently, Tybal,” warned his sister with a ruffle of her shining feathers. She turned her attention to Astrophel, tilting her head. “We knew about the activities of the shapeshifters, stealing from other clans and assassinating their leaders, but... I never thought it would be you who was giving them their instructions.”

Astrophel protested, “It’s- it’s not like that! We need the money, it’s expensive to outfit an army, and you make so many enemies- you aren’t the most tactful-”

A flick of Korst’s tail silenced him, and the ridgeback drew herself to her full height, eyes gleaming red in the dim and flickering light. “Enough,” she boomed. “You could have left the clan, many times over, if you disagreed with me. But instead, you went behind my back, made us more enemies than I ever have.” A long, forked tongue darted between her teeth.

“The three of you I give two days to leave the valley,” she growled. “Astrophel will remain under close supervision until such time as we can arrange him a trial. Tybal, escort him to his quarters.”

Tybal moved forwards and shouldered the smaller imperial roughly, forcing him down the hallway, and the shapeshifters scattered. Aslesa’s head drooped, and she sighed. Sympathetic, Korst draped a wing over the slender skydancer.

“And get treasure,” said Nyrasis, flicking an unimpressed antenna. Sepehr shrugged.

“Nyra, ‘tis important that we focus on the greater mission. As Iseult says, three dragons in the right places can topple an empire, shatter the underground of Sornieth. Besides, the slaver we targeted last moon had all the treasure you could desire- just a stroke of luck that this target had the scrolls that Priam wanted.”

Iseult nodded. “Stow the scrolls,” she said. “I’ll give Astrophel our mission report.”

With a sharp click, the Stonewatch prince Kaerio shook his head. He took off from Nyrasis’ shoulder in a flurry of brown feathers and looped above Iseult’s head. “Better not,” he said. “I saw Korst going into the scrivener’s cave.”

“It’s not Korst I’m worried about, it’s Aslesa,” said Sepehr, still tossing the vial from claw to claw. In a single swift movement, he snatched it out of the air and tucked it into his satchel. “Korst has done a bit of killing herself, I’ll wager.”