Chapter 15: The Rest of the Days
Accelerated schedule, heading towards the end to also motivate me to write that last chapter.
Full chapter on AO3 here.
Lucanis continues to count the days since he and Spite last saw Rook. Is it getting easier? They're trying.
Viago makes a joke at dinner. Caterina brings a surprising message. Lucanis resorts to meetings to distract himself. He and Illario REDACTED.
The team hears from Tarquin, and they take time for a beach break until finally, they figure out where to be to bring Rook back.
Chapter Excerpt: - 17 days
Without Bellara to guard at the eluvian, and without being able to contribute to either the research on the Fade or the crafting of the fake dagger, Lucanis was filling the extra time in Treviso a few hours a day to accomplish First Talon duties. Teia had been assisting Arturo and was happy to hand over a list of meetings for Lucanis and Illario take.
After the third such meeting had sent him into a spiral of despair at feeling useless and unproductive, Illario had come up with a plan.
“My esteemed merchant royalty,” Illario said to the gathered group.
There was a conference room one floor above the offices, which even Lucanis had to admit had been beautifully appointed by Illario. Lucanis stood in an adjoining room, watching through a two-way mirror.
“The First Talon appreciates your concise and brief presentations of how you improve your agreements with the Crows. Should you speak too long or too slowly, you will risk annoying the Spirit of Determination that shares his body.” Illario had been the one to refuse to call Spite a demon, saying the truth would work better. Spite had been touched. “Trust me when I say this. You do not want to annoy Spite.”
The first merchant prince did a great job making his presentation. The second, did not. After a particular long ramble where the prince was explaining what it meant for Treviso to be a free port, Spite growled loudly and flared his wings. The prince stumbled, hurriedly sorted through his remaining parchment, and finished his presentation quickly. The rest were even shorter than the first.
“That worked surprisingly well,” he said to Illario as they walked back to the eluvian.
He let Illario leave a note in the Rook Book on his behalf.
No pressure to read or repost. Tag List Management Post (Want on or off? Post here.)
@biowaredisasterbisexual @blackwall-my-tiny-husband @brightbreezeblog @bronzieinthedas @chaosherald @davrinsleftpectoral @dell-amor-te @elishnord @gatesofminrathous @genjyoandgojyoandhakkai @grad-writes @handsignals @hedwigoprah @himluv @jenn2d2 @jukkaricity @kabsey @kogarashi-art @lycheecatee @mageofquandrix @mushrooms-x-moss @ofcrowsanddragons @palenecromaniac @pixiedurango @redaresss @rookstormblessed @rookamell @sandcastlekings @seaglassmelody @serensama @necromanticsoul @sorcerousadventurer @tarasmom @therivercrow @tieflingsorcerer @vixenofcadmea @waxlyricalmoon @woundedsoul12 @xkatchy @zennihilation
