Ashari, like many Andan, is really good at reading people's locations based on peripheral vision and the mathematics of shadows. They hand their dagger over to Sulen with the clear expectation that Sulen should keep it away from Mikodez--this is a response to Iawa's concern.

Then, like a raptor, they catch and hold Mikodez's gaze. "Foxling," they say, brisk and businesslike, "we need to find a better way to use your...talents. To do that, we need to debrief properly. Answer Sasha's question."

[pengwern: Ashari at this point is basing their enthrallment on an educated guess that Mikodez may be a twisty Shuos BUT he is fundamentally loyal to the faction. What they're doing is interposing themself as an instructor-figure attempting to help Mikodez improve his prospects. Ashari will hope that Mikodez will respond to Sasha in the role of the instructor's "aide" and answer a little less twistily.]