ChaosHerald

"Someone follows."

Vigilance brushed against her, their warning delivered with none of the urgency that it instilled.

Sabriel swallowed, heart thudding in her chest as she realized her suspicions were correct. She'd felt eyes on her since she walked out of the Cantori Diamond that morning, intent on burying herself in work at the makeshift hospital in the market. She had hoped it was just unfamiliar spirits lurking in the streets of Treviso.

"Number? Appearance?" She asked under her breath. She kept her eyes forward and her steps intentional. She didn't want them to know she was onto them.

If it was the Antaam, she might be able to just run. Otherwise…

"Two. Shorter, hooded, no horns. Red veins pulsing."

Venatori.

She took a sudden turn down an alley, heading away from the Cantori Diamond. She wasn't going to lead them straight back to the eluvian, no matter how helpful backup from the Crows would be. Besides, she could handle two attackers. She had faced far worse odds in the Necropolis.

Trying to take advantage of the brief moment she broke line of sight, she ducked behind a stray crate as her pursuers stopped at the entrance to the alleyway.

"Where'd she go?"

As they made to enter the alley, she spun into a brief fadestep, vanishing from behind the crate and reappearing directly behind the Venatori. Before they had a chance to process her presence, she laid her hands on the closest attacker's back and pulled with her mana, sapping life force from him at what should have been an alarming rate.

Instead, she encountered something almost like a block— a barrier that burned at the tips of her fingers and she pulled back with a start, staring at the reddish sparks playing around her hands.

"The gods grant us strength." It was a common refrain the cultists would use in conflicts—usually made in their last moments of desperation. This time, it made her blood run cold.

They had known they were going up against a necromancer. This wasn't a random attack— they were coming after her.

Instinct kicked in before panic could as she dodged the swing of a blade. The tight space made it difficult to maneuver, but it was doubly difficult for the Venatori, who had to also avoid injuring each other. Using that to her advantage, she wove in close, aiming to get both to swing at a position where they would get in each other's way.

As the blades got close, she took another fadestep backwards and took off running again as she heard their strangely-shaped blades clash and lock. The goal was to lose them in the maze of the Treviso streets— even if she got hopelessly lost herself.

This was complicated by the Blight that crawled along the canals and up the walls. Passages were blocked, bridges were impassable, and the seemingly obvious escape into the waterways was suicidal at best. She had the fortune of Vigilance watching her back, so she at least did not have to slow down and check if she was still being followed.

"One assailant has diverted paths."

They were going to try to cut her off at the upcoming intersection. Biting back a curse, she rapidly scanned the walls, searching for footholds. This was a Crow city, which meant there had to be access to the rooftops somewhere, if one was creative enough.

Problem was, she didn't have the acrobatic talents of the average Crow. With no obvious trellises in sight, she was forced to attempt the more difficult act of finding footholds on brick walls between windowsills. She heard the Venatori behind her shout something in Tevene, but she couldn't understand it. She didn't have time to stop and think beyond the next handhold, the next jump, one step at a time.

The Venatori met in the middle of the alleyway, shouting and arguing as she was forced to take a moment and calculate her reach to the edge of the roof.

"Start climbing, you idiot! Dead or alive, remember?"

"You start climbing! Unless you want to be the one to explain to the future First Talon—"

There was a grunt and commotion as she pushed off and hauled herself up to the lower part of the building's roof. With enough space to move around, she finally looked down and saw both trying to clamber up the wall behind her.

Ignoring her pounding heart, she forced herself to focus. If necromancy wasn't going to work, it was time to draw on her new magic knowledge— courtesy of one too many academic debates about casting with Neve and Bellara. Drawing in a deep breath, she forced herself to sense the air around her, feel the ripple of the Veil and the currents in the wind. With sweep of her hands, she gathered mana like a bundle in her hands before letting it pour from her fingers like water, painting the roof and the sides of the building with a coating of ice and frost.

It might not have been the thick wall that she was hoping for, but it was enough to make the climb slippery— and from the shout from below, it seemed she may have frozen the Venatori's hands to the wall as well.

She didn't pause to consider if that was sufficient to stop her pursuers. Getting away immediately took priority. If she started across the rooftops, she could hopefully get some distance from them before returning to the ground, thereby losing her tail for good.

Now she just had to figure out which direction would get her back to the Diamond.

This building wasn't nearly tall enough to see around the spiralling architecture of Treviso, and she hadn't spent enough time in the city to be able to navigate confidently. At best, she could hope that staying along the roofs would help her run into a Crow at some point— and that she didn't fall and break her neck in the meantime.

Figuring her best chance was to go back the way she came, she gingerly started making her way along the sloped surface, grateful that the Blight hadn't crawled up this far along the buildings just yet. She needed all her concentration to avoid rolling her ankle.

How in the world did the Crows manage to make this look so easy? She found herself desperately wishing she had access to Spite's wings, as her first leap to the next rooftop made her feel lightheaded. She managed a solid landing at least.

It was going to be a slow trip home.

-----------------

By the time she found the field hospital again, night had fallen. The streets of Treviso that were eerie during the day were downright terrifying at night. The moving Blight caused her to jump at every turn, and the Antaam increased patrols in the dark. It was a wonder she had made it back without being further harassed.

She didn't enter the marketplace, instead choosing to skirt around it to make her way back to the Cantori Diamond. As much as she wished to avoid it, she knew it was likely that she would run into one of the two Talons, if not both. Dread settled in the pit of her stomach and she could only pray they wouldn't report this to Rook.

"Dr. Ingellvar!"

Lost in the thought process of figuring out a plausible story for Teia and Viago, Sabriel practically jumped out of her skin at the sound of her name. The address indicated either a Crow or someone from the hospital. But who would be out on the streets at this hour?

She looked around frantically, flinching backwards as someone dropped from the rooftops directly in front of her.

They were a Crow of middling height, human, with bright blue eyes and raven black hair. They had lovely bone structure, though their delicate features were marred by a deep scar across their right cheek. She had met this one before, though their name was escaping her. One of Viago's subordinates, maybe?

"I finally found you!" Their light alto voice was suffused with relief, which Sabriel found at once puzzling and a bit alarming. The Crows were looking for her?

"Did something happen?" Were the Crows in trouble? Had Rook asked them to search for her? If she had been derelict in her responsibilites to the team, she wasn't sure how she was going to make it up to—

The Crow blinked at her. "Uh, yeah? You left the field hospital and then never came back?"

Uhoh.

"That idiot from House de Acutis left to have a coffee and by the time he returned to his post, you were gone." The Crow gestured for her to follow them, and began walking towards the Cantori Diamond. "We thought maybe you just went back to your Lighthouse, but that old man professor said you weren't there. We've been on high alert ever since." They glanced over their shoulder at her. "What happened?"

She averted her eyes from their sharp blue gaze. For all their casual demeanor, she knew an interrogation question when she heard it. "I umm. I left the hospital a different way. Made a wrong turn and got lost." She kept her eyes on her feet as the sound of anxious hubbub became more audible as they approached the Diamond. "With the Blight around everywhere it's…hard to navigate the streets. And I don't have the ability to hop from rooftop to rooftop like you all."

Hopefully it was enough truth to get the Crow to accept her story. She wasn't about to confess everything to someone whose name she couldn't even remember.

They sighed. "Viago is not gonna like that." Together, the two began mounting the stairs up to the Diamond's upper balcony. The Crow signalled with their head to another on the way up, sending their comrade running in the direction of Teia and Viago.

Sabriel tried to keep her eyes forward, but she couldn't help but notice a few of the relieved faces of the Crows around her. Their conversations shifted a tone of anxiety to one of relief.

She had caused them a lot of trouble.

She kept her eyes on the Crow's slim shoulders as they elbowed their way over to the small group at Teia's work desk — which included Teia, Viago, and…

"Emmrich?"

All three snapped their heads in her direction.

"Sabriel! Good heavens, you look dreadful. What happened?"

His concern settled as shame in the pit of her stomach. "It was an accident. I just…got really turned around when I tried to get back."

She caught a look exchanged between Viago and her Crow rescuer. She wasn't sure the Fifth Talon was buying it.

"Luz, find Noa. We need to have a conversation." Viago's tone was clipped and disapproving.

"You got it, Vi!" The Crow, Luz, saluted and turned on their heel, heading back towards the courtyard with a spring in their step.

Apparently they enjoyed being the bearer of bad news.

"I'm so sorry for all the commotion. I tried my best to find my way back but with the canals and the…" She couldn't bring herself to say Blight. She knew Teia and Viago were more than aware how bad it was.

Teia stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. "You don't need to apologize. You came back in one piece, and that's what matters."

It was forgiveness too easily given, but she couldn't tell them that. She gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to ball her hands into fists, fighting back another wave of shame and guilt.

Emmrich cleared his throat. "We'd best be getting back to the Lighthouse. Rook will want to know that everything has turned out for the best." He was smiling, but she could see the tinge of curious concern in his eyes. "You have our utmost gratitude, Andarateia, Viago."

They exchanged a few more pleasantries, but Sabriel's attention wandered. Now that she was back in safe territory, the adrenaline was starting to seep away, leaving nothing but trembling exhaustion in its wake. If only she could curl up on one of the couches here and sleep it off, instead of facing yet another scolding at Rook's hands when they returned to the Lighthouse.

She used to be so well-behaved. How had she become such a problem child within a year or two?

Emmrich gently laid a hand on her shoulder, pulling her from her thoughts. "Shall we return then? With any luck, there will still be something left from dinner."

She blinked, then nodded mutely before following him out the back towards the eluvian.

-----------------

The trip through the Crossroads was quiet, though Emmrich gracefully accepted her numerous apologies as he quietly examined her during their trip back on the Caretaker's ferry.

"I'm certain you can handle most of these bumps and bruises on your own, but I'm afraid I must ask one last time: you're certain there are no other significant injuries that need treatment?" His voice echoed through the chamber as they mounted the stairs towards the Vi'Revas.

"They're just scrapes, Emmrich. You have my word." The relief she felt at being able to tell him the truth was a temporary reprieve from the curdling guilt in her gut. "With a bath and some rest, I'll be more than fine."

He let her lead the way back into the Lighthouse, which put her front and center for the welcoming party that had gathered in the library.

"Venhedis! Where have you two been?" Rook got up from his seat on the couch immediately upon seeing them come up the stairs. Bellara leaned around him to get a look, her conversation with Neve coming to an abrupt end.

"I—" Sabriel started, but Emmrich cut in before she could say anything.

"My apologies, it took longer to return than anticipated." He gently laid a hand on Sabriel's shoulder, giving her a slight smile. "The Crows were quite worried about her, and we needed time to reassure them."

Rook's shoulders slumped in relief. "For the record Emmrich, "Issue with Sabriel in Treviso. Will return with news." is not a very helpful message."

Emmrich's smile took on an apologetic tilt. "Ah yes, I had hoped to be more detailed but the young de Riva was quite insistent I come with him immediately. Though the emergency was not nearly so dire as they made it seem."

"What—"

"I just got lost!" Sabriel burst out. Everyone was staring at her and her skin was prickling and the room was too bright and she just wanted the interrogation to end already. "I took a wrong turn out of the hospital and got very lost. I'm deeply sorry for concerning everyone and you have my word it will not happen again. It has been a very long day and I would very much like to take a bath, please."

There was silence for a moment as Rook exchanged a look with the other mages. "Yeah, of course, sorry Sabriel." He nodded, dropping his voice to a more soothing register. "Maybe check with Lucanis in the kitchen once you're done. I think he saved you some food from dinner."

Of course he did. Why did he pay so much attention to her eating habits? It was a shame that food was going to go to waste, because she had no plans to even look at Lucanis tonight. She'd had enough of the Crows for today.

The others murmured amongst themselves as she hurried to her room to grab what she needed for a bath, and she studiously ignored them as they watched her depart the library for the bath house.

-----------------

By the time she left the bath, the rest of the group had retreated to their rooms. She didn't see anyone but the Caretaker as she crossed the courtyard, wringing out her wet hair and blessedly free of stinging cuts and obvious bruises. She normally wouldn't waste the energy on magical healing for herself, but she wanted the entire ordeal to be behind her as quickly as possible.

She hadn't lied to the others about the attack solely to avoid their worry. The fact that the Venatori had known where she was, and had countermeasures against her main methods of attack chilled her to her bones. If the others found out, and started guessing at where the information was coming from, or why they would go after her, or what else the gods might be up to…

Her thoughts were spinning enough on their own. The extra anxiety from others would just make everything worse. She just needed to avoid going to Treviso on her own for some time. That was easy enough.

Except the Venatori weren't only in Treviso. So maybe she would need to avoid going to Minrathous as well. And now Arlathan too, probably. Should she warn Emmrich about this? His necromancy was different than hers, so maybe it was less likely they'd be resistant to it? She hadn't had enough time in the encounter to test the boundaries of their protection. That was a significant oversight on her part.

Another wave of guilt passed through her as she walked into her room. She would have to find a roundabout way to warn Emmrich. The last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt because of her.

She gently closed her bedroom door behind her, standing in the warm darkness of the entryway for a moment before shuffling towards her bed, lighting her desk lamp on the way. The dim bluish light gave the room an otherworldly air that reminded her almost painfully of home sometimes. She wondered not for the first time if the Lighthouse knew how to make its occupants most comfortable.

She had yet to open the debate over the Lighthouse's sentience to Emmrich and Bellara. It was a conversation she wanted to reserve for a better day.

Tossing her towel to the side, she sank onto her bed with a deep sigh. She wanted nothing more than to sleep, but she couldn't stop the endless spinning in her mind.

Why had the Venatori attacked her? Why now?

There was a swift, businesslike knock on the door, making her heart jolt in her chest. Hadn't everyone gone to bed?

"Are you still awake?" Lucanis's voice was muffled by the door, but it was recognizably him and not Spite.

She decided it would be too rude to ignore him, so she went to let him in. "I thought we were working on the insomnia," She chided gently as she opened the door.

He was standing a bit awkwardly, tray in his hands, an inscrutable expression on his face. "You didn't eat dinner." He met her gaze and then quickly glanced away.

"Gnawing, burning inside. Trembling outside. Heat making the room spin." Spite piped up from where he was lurking behind Lucanis. "You always say. Food is most important medicine."

"You're almost as nosy as Compassion," She grumbled as she moved out of the doorway to allow them inside. She felt a small tinge of smug satisfaction as Spite scoffed, offended at the comparison.

Silently they settled in, Sabriel at her desk and Lucanis standing, leaning against the foot of her bed. Spite, as usual, skittered about the room, examining objects he'd doubtlessly seen dozens of times by now.

Looking down at the tray, Sabriel almost laughed. A sandwich, a mug of what was most likely cioccolata calda, and a freshly sliced pear. It was so similar to a lunch she had laid out for him on this desk before, when he used to occasionally wake up on the floor of her room.

"It's…there were portabella mushrooms in Minrathous today," He attempted to explain as she picked up one half of the sandwich to examine it closer.

He was still so careful to remember. She couldn't quite look at him as she managed to push a "Thank you" past the lump in her throat.

"Mm." He nodded and she began to eat, slowly and methodically. He would leave when she was finished and she was realizing that maybe she didn't want to be alone in this moment after all.

An awkward silence blanketed the room. She could practically feel that Lucanis wanted to say something, but there was no chance she was about to talk with her mouth full so she couldn't ask.

"I…" He finally began, "I wasn't aware you were still visiting Treviso."

She swallowed. "Strictly speaking, Rook asked me to stop but…" Waiting for word back from the Necropolis, waiting for Rook and the others to return from whatever dangerous mission they'd been dragged out to, waiting for news of Caterina, waiting for information about the gods, waiting waiting waiting. "Idle hands invite trouble. And people still need help there."

"Emmrich said you got lost." He was trying to sound neutral but she could tell he didn't believe it.

The others probably didn't either.

"Mm. It was a long day, and I took an exit that was different than usual."

To his credit, he didn't argue with her. But when she glanced at him sidelong, his brow was furrowed and his expression was more intense than she would have liked.

"Smells like…iron and hatred." Spite spoke up from the corner of her room, staring at where she had left her gear from the day. "Stagnant salty air. Copper and rust. Venatori."

She froze as Lucanis's gaze sharpened.

"You encountered Venatori in Treviso."

He was angry. Her heart leapt into her throat. Of course he was angry. He was worried about the Cantori Diamond, the hospital, Teia and Viago and the Crows—

"Nothing happened!" She turned to face him, hands waving frantically. "They didn't go after the hospital or the Crows or anything. They were only prepared to deal with me, so it obviously wasn't a larger operation, and there were only two anyway so—"

"What do you mean they were prepared to deal with you?" He interrupted, and if anything his expression became even more intense.

She shouldn't have said that. She sat in silence guilt crawled its way back up her throat. He deserved to know the truth. It was his home they were talking about. She had to find the courage to be honest, even if it meant he would tell Rook and she would get in trouble again.

She took a deep breath. "They followed me after I left the market. I-I was worried they could find out about the eluvian, so I went a different way. And I tried to pin them down in an alleyway, but they had some kind of…ward? Or a magical shield? My usual necromancy barely made an impact at all." A shiver went down her spine as she remembered the sudden powerlessness. "So I ran. Blindly, through whatever alleyways I could. I would have jumped into the canals if it weren't…"

"The Blight." Lucanis's voice was tight. His expression didn't shift at all as she spoke, but his grip tightened on his sleeve where his arms were crossed.

Nodding, she shakily reached for a piece of the pear and ate it, taking a moment to collect herself. "I finally shook them off by taking to the rooftops but by that point, I was thoroughly lost. And with the Antaam everywhere, and the potential of running into more Venatori and the Blight taking up so much space, it was just…hard to find my way back."

By the time she finished, the wobble in her voice was unmistakable. It was starting to hit her now — how terrifying that experience had been, how alone she felt, even with Vigilance watching her back.

Lucanis wasn't moving, hands still clenched in his sleeves. She could practically feel him thinking.

"I-I don't…know how they knew I would be there. Usually they don't spend much time in Treviso, and I didn't think they could find out that much about our movements, but…" In the face of his silence, she felt compelled to keep talking. "It was clear they knew where I would be from the moment I got there. A-And they weren't warded against all magic, just necromancy."

"Did they speak to you?"

She shook her head. "Only to gloat about the gods granting them strength, as usual. They shouted a few things in Tevene that I didn't understand, but…" She paused, trying to recall. "They argued over who was going to try to climb to the roof and follow me…something about not wanting to be the one to explain to the future First Ta—" She clapped her hand over her mouth.

How had she been so stupid? She almost overlooked the most important detail. All that spiraling and the answer had been right in front of her face the whole time.

"First Talon." Lucanis finished for her, barely concealing his rage.

"Illario!" Spite snarled through Lucanis's mouth, not bothering to hide his own rage.

"We don't know that for sure! Maybe they were following orders from…someone else…?" Even as she said it, she knew it was pointless.

Spite's eyes flashed. "He will die!"

"Spite, we already talked about this—"

"No. He's right." With a grimace, Lucanis pushed himself back into control. "Illario is family, but forgiveness is becoming beyond his reach."

Her heart sank. He had considered reconciliation with his cousin possible, until now, when she had gotten involved. This was just another thing she was going to ruin.

As she stared at her hands, Lucanis spoke up again, his voice harsh. "I am sorry that you've gotten dragged into this mess. Regardless of what happens, he will pay for what he's done to you."

"Lucanis, you don't have to—"

"We need to tell Rook about this."

She looked up, alarmed. "Do…do we have to? I can just avoid going to Treviso for a little while, it should be—"

"Illario knows your faces. He has shown he is willing to go after my allies. Should the Crows need our support again, Rook must know." His eyes were hard as flint.

He was right. She was being selfish to put her desire for something to do over the safety and wellbeing of the rest of the group. Wilting, she nodded. "I will…inform him of the truth. But can it at least wait until morning?" She needed time to work up the courage to face Rook's disapproving stare once again.

"Right. You need to rest." He swept past her to scoop up the tray from her desk.

She was going to object — she hadn't finished the cioccolata calda — but thought better of it. He was upset, and she wasn't good company right now. It would be better for him to leave.

"Thank you for the food." She said mutely, not looking at him as he made his way to the door.

He stopped before opening it, looking over his shoulder. He hesitated a moment before saying simply, "Get some sleep."

And then he was gone.

Left alone in the dim light of her lamp, Sabriel rested her forehead on her desk and let herself cry for the first time that day.

-----------------

I feel like this needs a part two so maybe it'll get one. Eventually.

Gemma @serialsforbellara

Brynnor @woodlandeelf

Hugo @jukkaricity

Gigi @handsignals

Jackdaw @flowersforthemachines

Mysterious girl with purple hair (Carina) @jenn2d2

Kalias & Veryl @viagosbrother

Selora @juniper-and-dragonthorn

Alana @therivercrow

Sofia @brennacedria

Aster @jaderavenarts

Jack (Silver) @the-bug-witch

Zalan @blackwall-my-tiny-husband

Ilene @kabsey

Aydenne @genjyoandgojyoandhakkai

Cara @pixiedurango

Marina @sandcastlekings

Francis @necromanticsoul

Akela @brightbreezeblog

Senka @amoaliquis

Juan @zennihilation

Tofana @waxlyricalmoon

Xiqaa genjyoandgojyoandhakkai

Micah @biowaredisasterbisexual

Extra extra special thanks to @hedwigoprah for running the Word With Friends prompt game and @woundedsoul12 for running the prompt game Thursday Bangers. Both hold a very dear place in my heart, and were very instrumental in helping form my early chapters.

Snippet below. The full chapter, all 11k words, is on ao3. I know it’s long. But there was too much fun to be had with all these kids. I couldn’t cut anything.

Lucanis was very impressed with how well mannered and behaved the children from the Crow Academy had been. They had followed every rule. Walked in an orderly, straight line. None had asked any questions or complained at all. He was sure Neve had been overreacting with her myriad of contingency plans. These children were going to be better than the ones that normally came in to play, he was sure of it. 

Lucanis took his place behind the prize counter, even though he was certain it wouldn't be necessary to stay there the entire time like he'd been instructed. He at least wanted to start off there. The children had all sat down at the party tables they'd set up for them. He looked over to see Harding at the register, making sure that her headset was clipped on correctly and settled securely. Bellara was on the other side of the arcade, clutching her toolbag tightly. The headmaster and Neve were making their way back towards the front door and he appeared to be saying his farewell. 

Lucanis looked back at the group of children in time to hear their chaperone say, "Okay, go have fun." 

He watched as 20 children went from still to all of them fully in motion, running in every direction.

I'm sure Lucanis is fine. Totally. 

Some tags for visibility but never any pressure to read.