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“How’s it going, Bruce?” he asked.

The bird inclined its head.

“Can’t complain, I guess,” it said laconically, and Robb wasn’t sure if it was more or less weird to see it talking in what was presumably its actual human voice, rather than trying to imitate Robb’s.

“Thanks for all your help,” James said, and, oddly enough, he sounded genuine. “I knew I could count on you to get the powdered horn into the teapot. No one ever suspects the lyrebird.”

So Bruce was working for James all along, Robb thought. I guess that makes sense. Get all your people in at the top, so that when you come back to take over, you can just waltz right in.

But a lot of people must have had their doubts about Anne being able to control the dragon. It can’t have been that hard for James to win them over.

And it would explain why Bruce had seemed a little less than enthused at doing Anne’s bidding back at their offices. For a lyrebird, it had been pretty shit at imitating someone who wanted to be doing their job.

“No worries,” said Bruce, and the casualness of the whole exchange was somewhat disconcerting. It wasn’t like Bruce had just lent James his angle grinder, or something. There was actual murder and world domination involved.

It probably wouldn’t have been half as bad if Bruce had actually shifted into his human form at any point – but no, he was apparently perfectly content to hang out in lyrebird form at all times. Robb wasn’t sure whether he was stuck in that form or if he just had a preference for it, but either way, he needed to stop thinking about it. There were much bigger fish to fry right now.

James looked thoughtful. “How did you even find where she kept the powdered unicorn horn?”

Bruce shrugged. “It was in her personal safe at HQ,” he said. “It was voice-activated on top of a combination and a key, though. Easy enough to steal the key and learn the combo – and, as for the voice activation…” Anne’s voice suddenly issued out of his beak. “Well, that was easily circumvented.”

Robb did shiver that time. Hearing her voice coming out so perfectly, when her body was lying there motionless on the floor…

He’d seen a lot of bizarre things in his time, but this had to be one of the most macabre he’d ever witnessed.

And he didn’t even want to think about how Anne had come across so many unicorn horns. Whether they’d belonged to unicorn shifters or actual unicorns, it was horrible to even contemplate.

And shit, Robb thought suddenly, realization hitting him like a punch to the face. Was Bruce the source of the information leaks all along? Was he calling us up and pretending to be Agency staff? Did he manage to get on the phone to James?

… Later, he told himself firmly. Now is not the time for self-recriminations.

James nudged at Anne’s body with his toe.

“If she’d just thrown the horns out instead of grinding them down and keeping the whole lot as some kind of weird trophy, I never could’ve used it against her,” said James. “But I suppose she had her reasons.”

Bruce hopped down off the chair and shuffled over to Anne’s body, peering at it with mild curiosity.

“I guess she just liked knowing that she’d conquered her fears, or something,” said Bruce. “Like humans who get a bullet pulled out of their body, and decide to keep it on the shelf.”

“Huh.” James seemed to be seriously considering all of this ludicrous conversation, before he shook his head. “Anyway, thanks for sourcing me the actual horn as well. You’ve been busy.”

“What else has there been to do? Anne always insisted on doing everything herself because she thought could do it better than anyone else. So I’ve been bored.”

Robb closed his eyes and shook his head for a moment, trying to clear his mind.

When he opened his eyes again, Tahnee was looking at him, a wry smile on her face.

“Gotta say, I’m glad I didn’t drink that tea,” she muttered under her breath, and James spun around to look at her.

“Nonsense,” he said cheerfully. “All it would have done is cure up any scratches or bruises you might have collected over the last few days while you’ve been forcing us to chase you all over town. It’s only wyverns it harms.”

“Still,” said Tahnee, pushing the cup on the table further away. “I think I’ll pass, if it’s all the same to you.”

“Your loss,” said James, shrugging. “You’re going to wish you’d accepted the hydration later on. Making gold is thirsty work, I’m sure.”

That got Robb’s attention.

So James is still going to use Tahnee? he thought, horrified. James clearly had no use for the dragon, but he clearly still had a use for Tahnee’s ability to make gold.