HA10

All eyes turned to the bird resting upon Neo's wrist. Why it was out of the cage he didn't know, and why it was happily perched there preening under Neo's affection, he knew even less.

[...]

"He has no idea about your spy, though."

"Truly? I'd say he's fully aware of the Nevermore in their midst."

"Admittedly," Cinder cringed. "But I meant that he doesn't realise you can see through its eyes."

The little good it did them. What decisions the man made were done outside of the bedroom and away from his mute companion, who obviously gave little away in privacy with her `pet`. As a spy, the only thing the Nevermore confirmed was where he was, and even then only as a rough estimate.

It also saw other things which Salem might normally have preferred not to see.

"He's a fool to let it stay so close."

"Or a genius," Salem countered. "Keep your allies close and your enemies closer."

"In this case it's neither. The flow of information is one way. As long as we're wary of misinformation, only we benefit from this arrangement." Cinder smirked. "And if the Nevermore is ever let free, it might be able to deliver a surprise to their rooms…"

"No. It won't…"

"Ma'am!?"

"It was necessary to make the carrier Nevermore a little more… intelligent than their brethren. They had orders to follow, and the ability to stay away from detection was prized more than speed, size or ferocity. I made them different. Self-aware, at least to a degree. The mind of a small animal at best, but a mind more than most Grimm have. Enough to think. Enough to experience."

The Nevermore pushed forward and butted against Neo's neck.

Salem grimaced.

"Enough to experience enjoyment…"

Cinder looked confused. "I don't understand the problem…"

"Do you know what happens to an animal when it is starved of attention its whole life, then suddenly given it in abundance? When a creature is considered meaningless and then suddenly finds meaning?"

"It becomes loyal to the one giving it," Cinder said immediately. "That's how I kept Emerald in line-" She cut off, eyes widening. "Oh. Ohhh… Oh, that's bad."

"Yes. Yes, it is…"