"A disregard," the Cynn added, practically rolling his eyes, "not unlike that here in Aetheri, where apparently we must rely on vigilantes to protect our immigrants. Deadly force as self-defence is clearly permitted by law for this reason."

He bristled, then, as Terrya leaned down towards him.

"This human is of a brutal and unchangeable species, Your Highness," Terrya said, very quietly. "Is this really the flag you wish to bear?"

Helly's hand tightened slightly on Liya's shoulder; nir other arm was braced on the table, between Liya and Terrya. She kept still, biting her tongue. Cynn Numair regarded Terrya with a certain amount of disgust for a moment--and then his face tightened into a deep frown.

"Officer," he said, "I do not like your tone."

No one else seemed to react--not even Terrya--as a glowing, vivd string of bright molten rock dripped from the officer's mouth. It pooled in the high collar of their coat, burning nothing, a wrinkled skin of stone forming on its surface. Cynn Numair leaned towards Helly slightly.

"See them out, please," he said. Helly stirred.

"Absolutely."

"I think we're done here," the Cynn added. Liya found her voice, as Helly's hand left her shoulder.

"W-wait."

The Cynn turned his eyes on her as Helly practically shooed both the officers across the room towards the door. Yoshi had not risen; he waited quietly from his seat on the bed.

"Y-you--don't leave," Liya told Cynn Numair, voice wavering as she got up. "I got so many ques--"

"I'm sure," the Cynn said, and offered her the folder he'd brought with him--it was full of papers, but he hadn't opened it while she'd given her statement. She froze. "This may answer most of them. It's the incident report from your last night in Violetta, up until your arrival in Aetheri."