The head Demon Rider drew near, looking Kyra over carefully. “Our blood runs stronger in you than we thought,” said Leyus. Was he pleased? Angry? She turned again to follow the chase.

“You have defeated James in Challenge,” Leyus was speaking again. “We will honor your request to test the garments.”

Garments…Slowly it came back to her. She had wanted to test the garments for poison. “We need someone who knows poisons,” she said, her words and the thoughts behind them thick and unfamiliar.

They were interrupted by the sound of Tristam coughing, a dry, rasping sound. The knight was curled in on himself, spasming with each cough. He looked so weak. Puny, even.

“You don’t need a healer,” Tristam said, raising his face to Leyus. “Just check his hands.”

Leyus snapped an order and Tristam’s guards dragged him over. The young knight was staring openly at Kyra. She stared back, blinking in confusion. Was that fear in his eyes? Part of her relished it, but another rapidly returning part of her was ashamed.

“What did you say, knight?” Leyus said.

“Check his hands,” said Tristam, tearing his eyes away from Kyra. “See if they’re coated with anything.”

At Leyus’s orders, a Demon Rider inspected James’s limp hands. “They are covered with something like wax,” he said. “I can scrape it off with my fingernail.”

Tristam nodded. “The coating protects his skin from poison. James betrayed you today.”

Kyra slumped forward, exhausted, as her demon cat instincts slowly seeped away. She watched as Leyus knelt next to James, inspecting the assassin’s hands himself. He went to the basket of garments and bent down to smell them.

“You’re right.” Leyus turned to Kyra. “The clan owes you its gratitude. We do not take debts of blood lightly.”

He paused. Around them, the clan seemed to hold its breath. Kyra stayed still, unsure of what this meant.

“You are free to go, as is the knight.”

Kyra bowed her head, mind reeling. Was that it? Would they forgive her betrayal just like that? “Thank you,” she managed to say.

Leyus smiled thinly. “Don’t be too grateful. This pays our debt in full. If we meet again, we will start anew.”

The crowd dissipated, transforming one by one into cat shape and melting into the forest. They made no attempt to hide their shape-shifting from Tristam. Would they just let the knight go, knowing their secret? Tristam watched the Makvani with fascination and confusion. When he noticed her gaze, he turned toward her. Kyra turned away, remembering the fear she’d seen before and unable to face it again.

“Kyra.” It was Pashla again. “You and the knight will come with me. We will put you in the shelter tonight and escort you back tomorrow.”

Tristam dragged himself to his feet, suppressing a cough, and Kyra followed suit.

“Pashla,” said Kyra. “Your shape-shifting. Will it be all right now that…”