No. In fact, Muchuk had only thought of it a few moments ago, but now that the words were unsheathed, best to swing it all the way. ‘Aye, Your Majesty,’ he said. ‘We have fulfilled our Vachan, and so have the Daevas. We long to return to our homes, to be with our kind again, wretched though they may be.’ That fetched him no smiles. ‘And,’ Muchuk rallied, ‘to teach Mankind the ways of civilization that we have both learned under you, Your Worship, and to protect them from the other belligerent races. As you often say, every flock of sheep needs a shepherd with a flute to entrance them, and a sword to keep away the wolves.’

‘Ah, perfectly understandable then.’ Thorin turned to look at Faraladar and nodded. ‘Muchuk does make valid points. What was the Vachan again?’ he inquired.

‘I was to defeat Trisiras and the Children of Darkness for you,’ Muchuk answered instead. ‘You were to teach us how to use Elementals, I mean, N’yen Valren.’ He turned to wink at Asha, who smiled back. His brief spat with the Twins had resurrected the insolence in him. It felt good to be himself again. ‘Naturally, not killing me and returning me home safely, were part of the Vachan too,’ Muchuk added.

Thorin exchanged a sad look with the Twins, and then sighed with a smile. He draped an arm over Muchuk Und’s shoulders as if they were old friends, and guided him to the open terrace. Thorin was as silvery as the other Daevas, but the patterned tattoos on his hands shone white instead of gold. He was older than the others; that was plain to see. ‘Son, your wish will be fulfilled. Truth be told, I foresaw that the moment of parting was upon us, and so I had already prepared a farewell present for you. Though I had not imagined that I would be gifting it to you so soon,’ he pointed ahead. ‘For services rendered, son.’

All three moons were high in the star-splattered sky as they walked outside into the night. Muchuk Und almost moaned with pleasure. Because there, right before him, resting on the terrace like a leviathan, was the most glorious Daeva ship he had ever seen. Muchuk narrowed his eyes against a rough breeze, pushing his long hair out of his face. ‘Now that is what I call a gift, Your Worship.’

Thorin smiled, evidently pleased. ‘It is why I built the thing, son. It is why I built Svarg. It is why I signed the Treaty to keep the Daevas out of your world. For Peace and Beauty. The old Drazeuses cared only for war, but I look towards fraternity. See there.’ He pointed into the distance, to the green sky behind the enormous moons. ‘There is your world twinkling, always in sight, so I can keep an eye on it. Like the flowers of my gardens.’

‘We are fortunate to have a Protector like you, Your Worship,’ Muchuk lied easily.