The Maxia murmured again, eyes flashing, and a swirl of dust lifted from the ground, collected in a disc, and hovered to the grated top of the Dredger’s cage. With a soft thwump, the disc fell inside, sprinkling dust over the Dredger’s back and the splintered cage bottom.

The Dredger unfolded like a spider, its gangly limbs snapping and cracking, the matted fur and hard bits of scale that ran down its arms and legs glistening in the light. With a snarl, the creature was on all fours, running its snout along the wooden planks of the cage, snorting up the dust and grit, mewling and panting and spraying dirt up past the bars. The noise startled the giant birds in their harnesses, tack jingling as they flapped their miniscule wings.

“Desperate for the stuff,” said Hectate. She let out a throaty cackle, watching the creature, her eyes wide with fascination and hatred. “They’ll snuff up anything resembling a powder. Not too bright once the transformation has taken place. Like I said”—she grinned, her teeth shiny with sugary spit—“gone to animal madness.”

Anji had to look away—her stomach churned at the sight of the poor thing, still snuffling about and now letting out a frustrated sob, its emaciated shoulders racking back and forth as it combed every last inch of the cage floor, leaving wet streaks against the wood. A dull pain radiated from her elbow. She’d nearly forgotten the Hawk’s hand still clenched around her arm, fingers digging like worms into her flesh. The Hawk stared silently at the Dredger, rigid and unmoving.

“Would you let go?” Anji said, jerking away, and to her surprise, the Hawk released her grip. Anji nearly tripped over her feet, massaging the sore spot on her arm.

Hectate inclined her head at the Hawk. “Everything you hate, isn’t it, Hawk? Perhaps when you’re through with this one you could help us round them up.”

“What does it want?” said Anji, her curiosity battling the unease building in her chest.

“Quiet,” snapped the Hawk, but Hectate waved the question away.

“Peace, Hawk,” she said. “We are on a mission to spread knowledge, after all. Alphoronse?”

The Maxia cleared his throat. “It is addicted to a stimulating powder,” he said. His voice was much higher-pitched than Anji had anticipated. “A drug which has gained in popularity these past years and recently been outlawed. Apart from general euphoria, it bolsters mental acuity, provides endless energy, and enhances eyesight, hearing, and taste. With it you can work and fight for days without sleep, though the eventual physical toll it takes on the body is substantial, as you can see. It has an incredibly short half-life, resulting in a withdrawal which makes the user lethargic, yet strangely affable and loquacious. Amazing concoction, really—the refining process consists of—”