After the ship carrying the Hiram siblings disappeared into the horizon, we went straight to Councillor Gebal’s office.

We walked for a few minutes from the port to a large, circular building surrounded by a lush garden, an iron fence, and an army of guards. Apparently, that was the Tyrian Council building. The office we’ve been looking for was likely nearby.

“This should be our destination, according to what my brother said.” Jezibel said, as we took in an office near the council building.

The two guards who sat at its door saw our approach and stood up to stop us.

“Halt. Councillor Gebal’s office is currently not accepting visitors.” The first guard, who appraisal informed me was called an orcawoman, said.

“Please state the purpose of your visit, and we will forward it to the office for review when the office reopens.” The man next to her said.

Nico stepped forward to address the guards.

“My name is Nicotris Sept, of House Sept of Tamery. As a high noble from an allied nation, I demand an audience with Councillor Gebal; my business with him cannot wait.”

The beastwoman’s brows furrowed.

“I am sorry, Lady Sept, but our orders are clear. This is Tyr, and our laws apply; you may not enter.”

I began transforming into my bipedal dragon form and released my race’s name, rarity, and rank from the appraisal obfuscation as I stepped forward to stand next to Nicotris.

“I am the daughter of Azoth, the Azure Dragon, though you may know her as the Frost Dragon. I also have business with the councillor, and unlike my friend here, I am much less inclined to obey your laws. Step aside, or I will make you do so by force.”

The man’s eyes widened in horror as the orcawoman was suddenly much less assured of herself. To her credit, she did not bend to our browbeating.

“Foreign high noble or dragon, our orders have not changed. We will resist you to the very end if we must.” She said grimly.

The guard near her tried to appeal to our reason.

“Even distinguished guests such as yourself cannot get away with assaulting the office of a Tyrian councillor at the heart of the city. Please reconsider; I promise to pass your message to the Councillor himself.”

Nicotris scoffed at that.

“That’s what you might think, but we’ll see if that continues to be the case when the public comes to learn that a member of the council is working with the Assassin’s Guild. It’ll be them breaking down the doors to your office to lynch your employer.”

At her words, the guards were visibly unnerved; regardless of whether what we were alleging was true or not, they’d be the first obstacle in the way of such a lynch mob.

A crowd was beginning to form out of earshot at our confrontation with the guards, curious to see what the fuss is all about.

“What’s going on there? It looks rather tense.”

“Looks like Councillor Gebal pissed off someone important this time. That looks like a Tameryian, and judging by her clothes, a rich one at that.”

“By Maalqert, is that a dragon?!”

The peanut gallery was growing in size, and it seems like they were treating us as a spectacle. The pitiful guards paled further, seeing that we could follow through on our threat immediately. Soon enough, a voice from within the building emerged to finally relieve them from us.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Enough! The lot of you, get inside. I don’t want a scene outside my doors!”

Nico and I grinned, and the guards stepped aside to let us inside. Seeing that the stand-off was over, the crowd jeered and began dispersing.

Inside the building, a comically obese, bald man adorned in shiny jewels and formal wear whose cloth would have made a dozen outfits greeted us with a scowl.

“To what do I owe this visit from House Sept and the Azure Dragon’s daughter? Bah, don’t answer that just yet. Just follow me to my office.” He said, turning around to lead us further inside.

I raised an eyebrow at Nico, and she just shrugged back at me.

It wasn’t long before we were all seated in front of the councillor’s equally large chair and desk.

“Now, what in the blazes did you maniacs want with me, and what on earth was that about working with the assassin’s guild?!”

Jezibel exploded at the fat man before we could say anything.

“The one who has to explain themselves is you, you grubby bastard! Why did you interfere with the rescue attempt for my father?! My siblings paid the damned price you demanded!”

“Oh, you’re with those brats that came into my office? Easy. Who the hell is going to compel me to follow through with what you asked? The family responsible for the death of the Desert Roses? Give me a break. I would’ve normally just taken the money and not sent anyone. Besides, I’d been paid by someone else better to let this matter go silently, so that’s exactly what I did.”

Jezibel was aggravated further, and I was fuming.

“Who’s going to compel you? That was the wrong question to ask, pig. I can make you squeal.” I said in a sharp tone.

The man rolled his eyes.

“Sure, try and attack a councillor of a human nation. Start another celestial war. You wouldn’t dare.”

I was about to lunge and rip his head off his shoulders before Nico put a hand on my shoulder to stop me.

The idea that she could just stop me with a gesture like a common dog pushed me over the edge, and my fury compounded ten times over. The only reason I kept quiet was because we were confronting this animal, but I swore the rest of the party will learn that I am done tolerating their casual disrespect after we’re done with him.

“Forget that for a minute, you said something about someone paying you better to drag your feet? Who was that?” Nico said.

The man grinned.

“I am not in the habit of giving away information on a supportive donor of mine. At least not without suitable compensation for the damage to my reputation and trust.”

Nico scoffed.

“The assassin’s guild makes for a poor donor, councillor. I am sure that when the chief of the guards learns that you were accessory to the guild’s plot against Tyr, he will be happy to speak with you in their dungeons. The newspapers would love to have a field day with that as well.”

The man’s smug expression quickly fell off his face.

“Assassin’s Guild? Plot against Tyr? What the abyss are you talking about?!”

Nicotris took the documents we found in the cave from Ati and tossed them at the man.

“The Assassin’s Guild has been trying to disrupt all travel and trade to Tamery through the desert for three weeks…”

***

By the time Nicotris filled the man in, his face was red like a tomato with rage.

“These sewer rats dare to scheme against Tyr?! Forget the guards, I am taking this straight to the council!” he exploded with fury.

“Don’t do that just yet. Go to the guards; It’ll help you save face regarding your involvement and it’s less likely to alert the Guild that we’re onto them. If they get spooked too soon, they might spring their plan early, whatever it is.” Nicotris said curtly.

The man cooled visibly for a minute before speaking to us.

“The bastard you’re looking for is Baltasar. He’s the one that asked me to hinder the rescue of the Hiram caravan.”

“I knew it!” Jezibel exclaimed.

“Then let’s go and have a ‘talk’ with him.” Ati said, but the fat man shook his head.

“That Baltasar is a moron with eyes for nothing but money. He may be sleazy and underhanded, but he has no reason to sabotage his own base of operations. He’s likely a mere pawn in the Guild’s hands.”

“You’re still defending that merchant?” Nisos said in surprise.

The councillor laughed out loud.

“Defend him?! Heavens, no, the greedy fool is welcome to drop dead in a ditch for all I care. I just don’t want you idiots to kill him without figuring out who’s pulling his strings. Now get out of my office, I’ve got plenty of work to do to get this mess sorted.”

***

After leaving the Councillor’s office, Nicotris spoke to Jezibel.

“Do you know where Baltasar lives?”

Jezibel nodded.

“Yeah, it shouldn’t be far from where we live, actually. I can lead you there.”

Before she could start walking to Baltasar’s estate, I interrupted the party.

“Hold on, you guys. We need to find a private spot to talk. It’s important.”

“We can speak later, Kiara, but we need to catch Bal-” Ati said but, didn’t manage to finish before I stomped on the sidewalk and shattered it into tiny pieces.

Everyone, including the nearby bystanders, gaped at me in surprise, as I finally let fury color my expression.

My tone was dripping with spite when I opened my mouth again.

“I said-"

I glared at the rest of the party with the rage of a thousand suns.

"-we need to talk.”