Chrysalis

“Do not discuss what we have seen or heard until we return home,” the Eran warned her people as they made their way out of the grand ant fortress.

Here on an expedition, her word was law and even her daughter knew better than to cause trouble for her mother at this moment in particular. The brathians were silent for the remainder of the journey. They marched in silence through the enormous tunnels of the fortress, didn’t breathe a word as they exited the vast gates and continued to keep their mouths shut as they were escorted by the ants through the monsters and down to the shoreline.

With dignity, they bowed to the ants, turned and walked into the water, their clothing floating around them as they walked deeper and deeper.

Once they were fully submerged, Eran Thouris gave her people a significant look and began to swim, weaving her magic to propel herself and the entire group through the water at an incredible speed. Enormous monsters churned through the water, closer than any would like, but the song of the siren filled the lake around them, and the monsters ignored them completely.

On they swam, through the murk and out into the brathian territory, passing through the barrier without difficulty.

“May we speak now?” Theraz asked cautiously.

“You may converse,” came the terse reply, “but no details about the negotiation or what we’ve seen. The Satrap will want our unfiltered thoughts.”

“That was so exciting!” Piris exclaimed. “An entire empire of ants! It’s incredible! And that fortress? How long did it take them to build it? Almost no time at all!”

Theraz swam closer and nudged his cousin with his elbow.

“We aren’t meant to be talking about it yet.”

She turned and stuck her tongue out at him.

“But it was so interesting! Have you ever seen anything like it?”

“No, I haven’t, but I know to keep my mouth shut before we meet the Satrap. You can talk all you want about it once we arrive.”

water, finding it difficult to contain her excitement, but she managed to bottle it up long enough for them to arrive before

to her husband’s chambers shut, Eran’s smooth expression twisted in anger as she ripped the necklace from around her neck

INSECT!” she roared. “Forty percent! FORTY PERCENT! I haven’t felt this humiliated

Satrap jumped in his seat, his expression growing faintly terrified as his wife showed her rage so publicly. He glanced toward Theraz, who shook his

so amazing! You won’t believe how clever those ants are. They can make all sorts of things, and they served us incredible cakes, and tea, and the

his daughter before turning his concerned expression back to

please. The delegation and court magicians are still

creature was immune to all of my Skills. A mutation? Some sort of evolution? We

clawed at the water around her,

his throne

bad? Do we owe

if he thought they’d demanded

up. “There was a negotiation for the rights to trade the Colony’s goods to other markets, and they demanded a high percentage of the final price. My honoured Aunt did extremely well against the initial negotiator, an old woman the ants brought in to speak on their behalf, but when the monster entered

still flushed, but Eran managed to

one way to put

that moment, Theraz’ father entered the chamber, nodding to his brother. Marzban Corozan was powerfully built for a brathian, who tended to be slender and swift. Scars could be seen through the scales

would like to hear about the threat that has

yet,” Umizan broke in, frowning, “I need to hear about these trade negotiations first. Mages, Eran, gather and speak to me,” he demanded,

he sat, pensive,

in mass quantities. In such

all over her face. “The final terms are dreadful for our

declared absent mindedly, then jumped when she raised her head to glare at him. “I mean it! Against a monster who was immune to your Skills, you achieved the best

puzzled, as the Satrap rose from his throne, his hands behind his