Devron was the first to rise from the dirt, shaking off dust and floating upward again. His expression was a mix of irritation and baffled curiosity.
"What was this about?" he asked, frowning at Aurora as if she did not just spank him openly.
Aurora pointed a thumb casually toward me, though no one could see me.
"Well, my boss says I have to beat you until you agree that Primus is innocent. Or until the envoy admits he lied. Either one works."
Right then, Gyros screamed.
"AAAHHHHH!"
His cry echoed across the valley as Lyrate's wooden puppet snapped another whip across his back and smashed him even deeper into the crater.
Devron winced sympathetically.
"You know," he said in a casual tone, "hitting an envoy is the same as going against the Monarch."
Aurora tilted her head.
"I wouldn't say we're going against him. We're just… proving our innocence. Isn't that allowed?"
Another scream tore out of Gyros, but this one was followed by a heavy grunt, Mazikeen's grunt.
