"Understandably so," Skellig says, keeping his voice on an even keel as he works to undo the gear rig from Kreyu's body - easy enough, even if the knots are slightly different with this form being a more serpentine shape. Once she is free, he guides Xenophon away, faces him the other direction.

"She requires privacy to shift," he offers as explanation. Xenophon blushes faintly at the thought, the reasons why she might, but doesn't go further than that. He is no fool - for her husband, the DRAGON'S HUSBAND - has his hand in his shoulder.

"The last time you set foot here in Mycenae was under very different circumstances," he says. "It is right to be nervous, though it would aid in your negotiating if you could hold it back."