"So you ah, you can talk now, eh?" Fen asked, munching on a handful of nuts.

  The short beaver man stood outside the meeting room with Zirko and Taka, who was piloting his golem. Maeve was inside giving her testimony of the attack on Kronkswell to a gaggle of Spirit Kingdom officials, plus Ambassador Reika. Syla, still disguised as an orc, accompanied Maeve. Syla's illusion spell hid Taka's presence both visually and magically, and if Fen could see through the ruse, he didn't show it.

  "Yes," Taka said carefully.

  "You's a real special kind of thinking machine, si no?"

  "It is," Zirko chimed in.

  Autonomous golems weren't unheard of, but they were far from an everyday occurrence. They were similar to the kind of minion Taka could make with raw magic but required a relatively larger amount of mana to power as well as some sort of device, but Taka hadn't gotten the details on what that was. Talking golems, however, were very rare. Only the most skilled mages had the mana capacity and control to power them, and thankfully, Zirko's aura was strong enough that people would automatically assume he was the operator, which is the cover they had used. The lizard man had warned Taka to keep his words as concise and simple as he could, as autonomous golems, or 'thinking machines' as Fen had called it. Taka found it curious that the beaver man's speech sounded different than everyone else he had encountered before. This was one of the first new people Taka had talked to without using his TELEPATHY skill at the same time, but in his head, instead of processing Fen's speech like English, Fen's words sometimes sounded like Spanglish, Spanish phrasing mixed into his words, but also combined with the bravado of an Italian gangster, sort of. It wasn't consistent either, which piqued Taka's curiosity further.

  "Hesk, you were there in the attack, yeah?" Fen asked.

  Zirko nodded his head. The lizard man had woken Taka up before sunrise and admitted to the worm that he had begun scouting the city on his own. Taka agreed not to tell Maeve and Syla, and they spent the early hours of the day together as Zirko grilled Taka on the events of the assault on Kronkswell again, Zirko making sure he knew every detail inside and out. Taka kept reminding the lizard man that he could always message him what he needed to say, but Zirko preferred to have full control of the situation without having to rely on others if he didn't need to.

  "Yes, I was," Zirko answered.

  "Heard that some Aeries were part of the attack. Flying fuckers," Fen spat. "Think they can do whatever they want 'cause they can flap their wings and get away. Hate 'em. Pinches cabrones every last one of 'em... That true?"

  Zirko paused for a moment, considering the beaver man, then nodded. Fen scowled in response and let out a low growl; Taka used his TELEPATHY skill and opened a link with Zirko.

  Do you think we can trust him? Taka asked.

  Not yet, Zirko replied. But I'd wager he isn't the mole. Coming on this strong would be quite the bold tactic, and he seems, well, not the type we're looking for.

  Taka agreed with Zirko's assessment. There was a real rage in Fen's eyes that Taka understood and empathized with, not only empathized, but shared. Those birds -- the Aeries -- took Rhoz.

  Fen peered inside the window to the room, then groaned and turned back to Zirko and Taka.

  "Think it's gonna take a while. I brief you now, and we share intel, vale?"

  Zirko nodded at the beaver man and took a seat at the chair next to the door as Fen scanned the hall and spotted a crate.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Hey golem, can you push that over for me?" Fen asked.

  Taka nodded with the golem's head and walked over to the box, then pushed it across the hall back to Zirko and Fen. Moving around in the golem, particularly doing anything more physical, still felt strange to Taka, but he was getting more accustomed to controlling the golem. Just a week prior, he would've been stumbling to even take a step in the thing, but now he felt like a venerated mech pilot.

  "I've been looking outside, Len's been handling the internals," Fen said. "And so far? Nada. Nothing to chase, at least. There have been some movings around with the Church, but, can't say for certain if it's related."

  "What kind of 'movings around?'" Zirko asked.

  Fen took a sharp inhale of breath and shrugged, "I'm still looking into it. Church is so damn good at hiding their people, it's hard to figure out who to even look for. Been visiting the residences of anyone reported missing, but haven't found anything I can use yet. Sensed some residual mana, felt dark, but not dark magic, exactly. Spirit related I'd guess."

  Zirko raised an eyebrow at Taka, and Taka nodded with the golem.

  "Then it's the assailants as in Kronkswell," Zirko said.

  "Residual mana there, too," Taka added.

  Fen didn't react, "figured. But why? That's a whole lotta people to take at once, and why both here and your castle? Wouldn't it be easier to have a consolidated force, attack one full out, get everyone they need in one swoop? More than enough creatures in the outskirts. Beast folk like us, they're always trying something to cull us down, but this is different. Bigger."

  Zirko nodded at the beaver man. Taka hoped that Fen wasn't the rat; the talkative beaver was beginning to grow on him.

  "Do you still have more houses to investigate?" Zirko asked.

  Fen snickered, "houses is a strong word. More sites, tents, a few sheds, but yeah, a few. That where you wanna head? No problem with me, but, ah..."

  Fen's eyes drifted to Taka's golem as the beaver man eyed Taka's mech of wood.

  "Can come, but golem shouldn't talk," Fen said. "Will cause a ruckus."

  Taka nodded with the golem's head as Fen continued to stare at him, squinting.

  "Pretty damn smart, 'specially for a golem. Not seen many, but only seen a few that could like you."

  "Thank you," Taka replied.

  Taka winced. He'd barely said a word, but Fen seemed to pick up on what little he did. It was frustrating, finally having the ability to speak, but having to refrain from saying much until he knew anyone he talked to could be trusted. Even so, Taka was elated by being included in the conversation, and being treated as a golem might honestly be better than as a worm. Until anyone found out he was a High Worm, then he was dangerous. The thought made him uncomfortable, but, that was how things were. Focus on what I can do now, Taka told himself, reciting the words like a mantra.

  "We go now, or wait for others?" Taka said, trying to simplify his grammar and speech patterns.

  Fen's eyes narrowed for a moment, but then he relaxed. Before he could answer, Zirko put up a hand.

  "We'll wait here. Can't't leave Lady Xesha's side," Zirko said.

  Maeve is capable, but we don't know who the Spirit Kingdom sent, nor if they'll somehow be able to see through Syla's disguise, Zirko sent to Taka. Until we vet Fen and Len, even until we catch the mole, we should stick close together.

  Understood, Taka replied.

  Taka agreed with the Zirko. The lizard man knew a lot about battle, far more than Taka ever would, and even if he primarily fought on the front lines, he seemed to know his way around a more stealthy operation. That didn't mean Taka was itching any less to get up out of the building and see the rest of the city. They hadn't had time in the morning to look around before their escort came, and Taka was buzzing with anticipation.

  As if the universe was reading his mind, the door to the meeting room swung open as Len came out, holding it open for Maeve and Syla. Len shut the door behind them as Fen gave a deep nod to Maeve, who reciprocated.

  "How'd it go?" Zirko asked.

  "It went well. They asked what we anticipated they would, and that was that," Maeve said.

  Taka used his TELEPATHY skill and opened a link with Syla.

  How'd it go? Taka asked Syla.

  All the questions about the attack were what we'd thought they'd be, Syla sent back. But they've been watching us, or listening in on the Ambassador's office, or both. One of the Spirit Kingdom officials, Mr. Yggsh, I think, asked about what happened with Dr. Quinoth and the Ambassador got really angry, and then they let us go.

  Mr. Yggsh? Taka asked.

  He was a big, older fae with light blue wings, Syla replied. He didn't say what his job was -- none of them did, just their names. He looked nice at first, he smiled a lot, but then... they're watching us, Sir Filo.