Excerpt, ding ding ding from book 2

Reyneart hefted his sword again and waved it at the dragonlord, this time with no hint of menace. “Our search revealed him to be in a town called Starwheir. While she watched through the crystal, she saw him taken prisoner. By force.” Rey drew a deep breath, as if steeling himself to go on. “Normal weapons can harm him now. He’s injured; they had to pound him senseless to take him in. Even with his strength, he cannot hope to stand against an entire city. I need your help to rescue him.”
Sun found it hard to imagine the Dharkyn being harmed by plain weapons. He didn’t find it as hard to imagine Azzie standing against the massed force of an entire city, but it was damned hard to picture him losing.
*Taken prisoner?* he echoed finally. *Perhaps he did something to merit being arrested?*
“He asked a barkeep for employment. Last I knew, seeking work was legal. Of course, perhaps on Ylithriel things are different.”
*That was all? He spoke to a barkeep?* Sun gave a haughty sniff. *I should think there’s more.*
“Well, there isn’t. DarkStar saw the entire episode. Azzie had the rotten luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong moment. A pair of old enemies entered the tavern and started a brawl. His mistake was in defending himself.”
*It seems your master has made another mistake,* Sun sent. *I will not help him.*
Reyneart flushed with suppressed fury. “What? How dare you! You owe him your life, you misbegotten snake!”
*A gift I neither asked for nor desired. I owe him nothing.* Sun raised his head high, his short horns butting the chapel’s ceiling as he stretched his neck to its full length. The crimson fur of his ruff stood erect, a posture of draconian aggression. *He ruined me when he stole from me eternal peace. I am hardly grateful.*
“You’re a bastard and a coward,” Reyneart hissed. “You’ve tasted of the afterlife, have you?” He appeared not in the least intimidated by Sun’s threatening stance; rather, he began to wave his sword to emphasize his words. “Now you cannot bother to continue living. Well, you are alive, which will not change in the near future. And while you live, you have responsibilities.”
*Azzie is not one of them!*
“Isn’t he? What of the Balance? As one of Random’s servants, aren’t you bound to uphold that?”
*His death will not aversely affect the Balance. Another demon shall rise to fill his place. Now leave me.*