August studied the girl a moment, stonily, if only to take his time with an answer. He wouldn't have answered at all, if his guards had been near him -- but while he was here alone there was no one to impress, no one to demand respect of, no one to take word back to the Queen. However Narissa hears of this, it will be grim.

"I had made it back to the Queen's hollow," he explained in a crisp voice. "The other two had ... already closed themselves in the dungeon." There was a twitch in his expression: despite his best efforts, those men were beyond hope of ever being more useful than common janitors. "I found a spirit bottle -- like the one that had broken when you arrived. I threw it into the Jockal's open mouth and it bit down. It's probably still snapping at ghosts. I think it'll forget about you before it's done, but I suggest you refrain from raising your voice."

He looked down at the cat, which remained silent. "I'll escort you back to the dungeon, where you are to await the Queen's further decision." He gestured with his head. "Walk in front. Both of you."

Dorothea paused awhile, but finally she stood up, and she turned around and padded back through the leaves toward the place they had just escaped from, her tail held high and dignified.

August glanced at the sky. It was getting darker, and he didn't have a light.