"I will assign my pack and colleagues to it," Darahil assured. "You shall have a full section of Dwemer spheres enchanted and attuned to a control rod in roughly fourteen hours." He turned to Sabine. "Operating the rod is simple enough. You will be taught and practiced in its use when it is convenient for you."

Sabine nodded firmly.

Though only a slight change, Darahil's eyes looked a measure more fatigued at the mention of welkynd stones. "I can spare many capable mages," he said. "And I am sure there are other mages in the militia that Ri'vashi shall provide. Unfortunately, with how difficult they are to replace, it is my recommendation that our remaining stock of welkynd stones must be kept for threats to the clan itself. We have few enough as it is and no Ayleids exist to make any more."

As for Ahnasha's questions, Sabine false-started in her answer twice in a row. There were a few things in her mind at once. "...I should explain the shapeshifting more," she said. "It is not intuitive. Not as much as lycanthropy." She ran a hand back through her tangled hair. She found the right words eventually.

"When you transform into a werewolf..." She held out her hands and finally made eye contact again. "...Your body is twisted and changed until your flesh and bones are that of a werewolf. It is different with shapeshifting. It is like...without knowing all the magic surrounding it, it is not easy to understand. It is like..." she held her hands to her chest. "I am a Breton with clothes and belongings now. Then I alter the area of Mundus I am in...that caused be to be a clothed Breton...until I am a raven instead. It is like borrowing a different fate by convincing Mundus of a different past without making it true. The more that I have to shift, the harder it is." She stumbled to reassure. "I-I could take the control rod into my raven form but I could not use it. It temporarily would not exist. I would use it by turning back first. I also cannot talk as a raven. Or use much magic. It affects the way I think."

Sabine took a deep breath and continued. "Normally I would agree about keeping watch in raven form. It is just that Arinette knows I can take the form now. She will be on the lookout for ravens watching them. I could get away with looking like a wild raven flying over once or twice like Fendros suggested. I would be an easy target otherwise. I can hide better in a tree and obscure myself from the wards in my Breton form." Sabine pressed her palm into her forearm tensely. "Do you know of a way we can talk at a distance without being noticed?"