#turiwrites

One arm to keep the target in place, one hand to silence his gasp of surprise, the other hand guiding a dagger between the ribs where it would puncture the lung and the heart at the same time. He had done this countless times before, it was a routine. The body in his grip twitched for a few more seconds - a last stand in a losing battle - then the man slumped to the ground in front of him and fell straight into the river. How convenient that he had chosen this spot of all places for a nocturnal rendezvous. 

Illario checked his clothes for traces of blood. The dagger followed its victim into the water and would remain at the bottom forever. The dead man himself would probably reappear in a few days, miles away from where he had died. And people wouldn’t dare to ask questions. They never did. Contract fulfilled.

Satisfied with himself, Illario put his mask back on to return to the ball through the gardens. A glass of wine was in order, now that his work was done. He had almost reached the villa when he heard footsteps on the gravel beneath his feet and looked around carefully. His gaze fell on an approaching figure - another guest, it seemed, as they were also wearing a mask. Judging by their movements, they were male and probably still young. The hair, however, fell in soft, blond waves around their cheeks. A colour that was rarely seen around here and Illario could not deny that his interest was piqued. Nevertheless, he remained cautious and waited for the other to speak first.

And they did, revealing a rather high but definitely male voice: “Oh, excuse me, Sir. Have you seen Señor Héctor? I think he wanted to go for a walk.”

“I'm afraid not,” Illario replied and ventured a few steps closer. The other's mask was nothing more than artfully curved black lace that could barely conceal the young man's large blue eyes and handsome face. Perhaps the evening had even more to offer than wine and gossip. “I’m sure you don’t need to worry about him,” he went on. “With so many guests he surely just got lost in conversation.”

The blonde seemed indignant, if only a little. “Well, he's my patron, so I should be worried about him.“

Illario smirked. In these circles, patron meant nothing else than an older person who kept one or more young people in his household to pass the time. Depending on the person, it wasn't the worst way for a pretty girl or boy to live free of charge. 

“In that case, would you allow me to accompany you in your search?” he offered, showing his most seductive smile and tilting his head ever so slightly before he added, “Or... Perhaps I can be of service to you in another way?”

The other's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but Illario didn't miss it. Nor did he miss how he briefly let his gaze wander along his body and seemed not averse to what he saw - because the next moment a gentle smile danced around his lips.

“Are you always so straightforward, Sir?” he asked politely but with a hint of playfulness.

“Only when I meet someone who’s so irresistible.” Illario walked even closer to him, close enough to run a gloved finger over the expensive buttons of the robe in front of him. The young man was barely noticeably shorter than him and smelled of flowery perfume and light-coloured wine. And in the dim light of the torches, one could almost have missed the faint blush on his cheeks.

“You flatter me,” he said, eyes half-lidded.

Illario let his gaze wander deliberately slowly to his lips. “I am tempted to do much more than that.”

The corners of the other’s mouth twitched and he huffed, “What do you have in mind, Sir?” 

“Whatever it is that you would like to give, I will certainly enjoy it very much,” Illario murmured sweetly and it made the other smile even wider. “So?”, he went on, now grazing the jawline of his counterpart with the backside of his fingers and closing the last distance between them. “Do you know somewhere more - private - we could go?”

“I certainly do,” the blonde whispered, almost leaning in for a kiss. But then he withdrew and walked a few steps backwards, reaching out a hand. “Follow me.”

“With pleasure,” the Assassin agreed and took the hand that was offered to him.

Illario stretched his neck with a quiet sigh while he made his way through the bathhouse of the Dellamorte estate. It’s been a long day. Too many faces, too many fake pleasantries, too much wine. Well not for him, but certainly for some of the other guests of his grandmother. Inviting all the Talons and selected nobles usually ended in a disaster of some kind, yet to his surprise everything went well. Now though, he needed a moment of silence.

It was in the middle of the night, most of the guests had withdrawn to their chambers already. Some alone, some with a companion. Illario envied the latter because his bed would remain empty tonight. Not for the lack of opportunity - he certainly had some interesting gazes wandering along his body tonight - but for the lack of interest on his part. The few people he would have actually been interested in were out of reach and if there was one thing he did not need in his life, it was being rejected.

And so he decided to find some warmth another way, in peace, now that he was finally alone. Or not? A sudden splashing sound made him stop, being on guard and interested at the same time. Had someone had the same idea as him maybe? With nothing on but a towel around his waist he slowly walked on, trying to find the source of the noises in the dim light of the candles around the pools. Not long until he spotted her. Realising she had spotted him already as well. Of course she had.

“Andarateia Cantori,” he spoke, his lips curling into his usual lopsided smile. A smile he knew some people called fatal.

“Illario Dellamorte,” she gave back, not even bothering to act surprised, “And now that we’re done calling each other by the name, what comes next?”

Her confident tone caused something in his insides that he could not quite name yet. But he liked it.

“Care if I join?” he asked, feeling his smile growing wider.

“If you must,” Teia gave back drily, yet there was a hint of amusement in her expression as well.

“Oh I certainly do,” Illario said, before he removed the towel with an almost dramatic gesture and kept standing in her view just that one second too long before he stepped down into the pool, sitting down across from her.

Teia huffed, “I certainly didn’t expect to see this today.”

“Oh?”, Illario smirked, “But it’s not too bad, is it?”

Now the seventh Talon laughed. “Fishing for compliments, are you?”

“Not really. I fear the chances for that are rather slim, at least with you.”

“Smart boy,” Teia commented.

Illario tilted his head to the side, searching her eyes and holding her glance when he said. “I am. And skillful, too.”

“Oh, I see,” the cunning woman said, approaching him slowly, “You’re trying to seduce me?”

“Is it working?”, Illario huffed, feeling his heartbeat quicken at the thought.

Teia smiled. Her beautiful, almost black eyes half-lidded and seductive, her full lips slightly parted and so inviting to be kissed, the soft skin around her shoulders perfectly smooth and just a delicious foreshadowing of the rest of her body. Nimble as a cat she came closer and closer, making him shiver in anticipation. He felt her palm on his knee and swallowed as her sweet scent twisted his senses.

And she moved even closer with her face, shifting to the side a little, to whisper one word into his ear: “No.”

With an amused smirk she withdrew, leaving him breathless for a moment, before he cleared his mind and regained his composure. Yet before he could utter a witty retort, she suddenly stood up in front of him. Stark naked, the contours of her body so perfect in the candlelight that it took his breath away once more. All too slowly her own hands followed the droplets of water that ran down along her skin - her breasts, her stomach, between her legs - and Illario almost lost it.

“Such a pity that you can only dream of all this,” she breathed, before she stepped out of the pool and wrapped herself in a towel.

“Rest assured, I will dream of all this tonight,” he said back, glad that his subconsciousness was still able to come up with clever words.

Tell me to stop and I will,” Illario whispered against his lips before he brushed his own over them ever so slightly, merely a touch, and yet it set Lucanis' body on fire.

“Illario!” he gasped and fled back, just a little.

He didn't say stop.

The other Crow gave him a cursory glance and leaned in for a kiss, still careful and soft but a proper meeting of lips this time.

Lucanis broke the touch once more, eyes wide in shock and his heart hammering against his ribcage. “What are you doing?”

He didn't say stop.

“You know exactly what I'm doing,” was Illario’s reply, voice low and seductive, and for a third time he catched his lips in a kiss. A shiver went down Lucanis’ spine and he lost command over his body for a second, felt how his mouth closed around the other just that little bit before they parted. “This is madness,” he whispered, eyes closed now, breath going hard and shaky.

‘Darling!’ Emmrich sighed soundlessly. He turned his head to the side quickly, but endeavoured to remain inconspicuous. As if he were merely whispering a comment about the opera in his companion's ear. Another sigh escaped him as the skilful fingers began to gently massage the area in circles. ‘This is hardly the place for it!’ he whispered, still trying to keep his composure.

‘Do you really want me to stop?’ Lucanis asked with the sweetest, low voice, tilting his head slightly in his direction.

Oh, how much he wanted to kiss him.

Emmrich leaned his head back and closed his eyes blissfully. Who would have thought that the evening would end like this?

His colleague had lured him to a ‘gentlemen's club’ under false pretences and he would have turned on his heel immediately if it hadn't been for the mysterious stranger at the bar. Dark hair and eyes, beautiful lightly tanned skin, a seductively toned body... An apparition like him should have been surrounded by men and yet he was sitting there all alone. And Emmrich wondered why.

The Lighthouse

"Lucanis?" Rook asked through the door of the pantry. A moment of awkward silence followed until he heard footsteps, the lock clicked and the door opened. There he stood, indeed. It hadn't been a dream. Lucanis was back. 

And Rook was beaming. "Coffee?" he asked quickly, holding out a steaming cup to his puzzled counterpart. 

The other smiled. "Gladly, thank you," he said and stepped back from the door to let Rook in.

“You know,” the latter started as he looked around the room, “We have other spaces. Spaces with light, windows. Why do you…”

Lucanis interrupted him. “Why does an assassin want a room with one entrance that has good choke points?”

Rook paused, then nodded with a smirk. “Fair.” And while Lucanis sat down on the makeshift bed in the corner of the room and inhaled the scent of coffee, he hastily explained, "No comparison to Café Pietra of course, but the best I could find for now. Think of it as a peace offering.”

"Peace offering?" Lucanis repeated before he understood what might be meant and said quietly, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh, well, give me a little more time," Rook joked, scratching the back of his head.

Lucanis smirked briefly, took another deep breath over the cup and closed his eyes. He took a sip and hummed barely audibly. "After a year in that damn aquarium, this is a real treat. Thank you."

Rook felt a familiar warmth spreading through his insides. He hadn’t felt this way for so long, it was almost overwhelming. He was overcome with the urge to throw himself at Lucanis, to hold him tightly in his arms, to kiss him. He wanted to be close to him, just like before. It took all his strength to hold back.

And it got even worse when Lucanis smiled softly and remembered: "You used to bring me coffee in the mornings."

Rook pulled himself together and cheekily remarked: "Before your first coffee, it was impossible to talk to you, you know."

Lucanis huffed, took another sip and set the cup aside.

Rook grinned, too. But then his joy was overshadowed by the thought of how much he had missed all this. And by the uncertainty if they could ever return to the relationship they once had after being apart for over a year. The events of the previous evening still lingered between them as well. The shock, the remorse, Lucanis' sad look. His throat and chest felt tight again and he cursed himself for not having a better grip on his emotions.

"Is everything all right?" he heard Lucanis ask.

Rook looked at him, then back down. "It's just... I don’t know what to do. I thought it would be easier..."

"What do you mean?"

Rook paused for a moment. He was ashamed of his insecurities, his doubts. But he couldn't think of anything witty to escape the situation and so he explained: "I’ve been hoping to hear from you for so long. I imagined what it would be like if you returned. In my head, we just fell into each other's arms and everything was fine again. But now... I guess it’s not that easy after all."

Lucanis seemed speechless for a moment. His eyes had widened, but now his expression was relaxed again, understanding. "Sit with me," he asked gently, moving a little to the side.

Rook hesitantly accepted the invitation. His heart began to beat faster. Hopeful, longing, anxious. His throat was so tight it hurt.

Lucanis looked at him. His eyes travelled slowly over his face. "I’ve missed you too," he said softly. "I thought about you. Every single day."

The remaining parts of Rook's façade were now collapsing. His lover’s words hit him like an arrow in the chest. Tears burned in his eyes and he quickly hid his face behind one hand, stuttered an apology with a broken voice.

Lucanis carefully reached for his other hand and came a little closer. "It's all right, Cuervito, look at me."

Through the veil of tears Rook complied with the loving request, breathing deeply to calm the trembling in his body.

"I feel the same way, believe me. I want nothing more than to be close to you again. It’s not easy for me to keep my distance from you, but I need some time. To sort my thoughts. To get a grip on this cursed demon that lives inside me. I don't want to lose control in your presence again. I don’t want you to be afraid of me."

"I"m not afraid of you," Rook corrected instantly, trying to calm himself down. He sniffled and wiped away the tears. That Lucanis still felt this way was a comfort. Maybe the year underwater had changed him less than Rook had feared. 

"I was surprised, that's all," he now explained, regaining his confidence. "We have fought far worse creatures. We can deal with this one, too."

"I’ve always admired your optimism," Lucanis said, leaning his head against the wall. 

Then, after a short break, he went on, “So, tell me, what do I call you now? Rook, like the others?”

“Huh… yeah? I guess that will be easier for everyone,” was the answer.

“But when we're alone-,” he started, lost in thoughts apparently. He suddenly smiled and moved a curly strand out of Rook's face. "I like the hair." His fingertips brushed along the shell of Rook's ear, down along his neck and chest ever so slightly. “You used to wear it like that when we were younger.” For a brief, silent moment, they got lost in each other's eyes. Hazel meeting chocolate brown. Rook fought his urges once more. Lucanis' half-opened eyes, that look, made it almost impossible not to reach for his face and kiss him until they were both out of breath. "You don't even know how much I want you," Lucanis whispered, his gaze drifting to Rook's lips just for a second. 

His words coursed through Rook's body like lightning, straight to his loins. He wanted to get closer and it seemed that Lucanis wanted the same. His facial expressions, his deep breathing and the tightening grip on Rook's hand were an invitation he could hardly longer resist. “You can have me,” he murmured, ready to surrender himself to his former lover.

Lucanis closed his eyes and turned his head away. "I can't," he spoke with regret. "Not yet."

Rook growled in frustration, followed by a soft laugh. He was not angry. The fact that his beloved still wanted to be close to him was enough for the moment. He playfully grasped the fingers of Lucanis' hand and placed a polite kiss on the knuckles.

"Then I guess this will have to do for now," he said cheekily and chuckled.

Lucanis joined in the soft laughter before saying, "Thank you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Treviso

People were dancing, laughing and chatting. Traders offering goods from all over the world. Colourful lanterns shone on the walls. Despite the siege of the Antaam the Treviso market seemed untouched. 

Rook took a deep breath. Coffee, spices, herbs, leather - the smells and sounds of home enveloped him. Only now he got aware of how much he had missed it all. And yet he was nervous. They were on their way to the casino to meet up with Teia and Viago. So far, only Neve had been in contact with them. The clues they had needed to free Lucanis had also come from here. And the two of them now naturally wanted to make sure that their comrade was actually still alive. But Lucanis was not the only one to return home. Rook had been reluctant to pay Treviso a visit. They had sent him away. And he wasn’t sure if he would ever be welcome back.

With an uneasy feeling in his stomach, he walked behind Neve and Lucanis. The two were deep in conversation and Rook was glad that he didn't have to explain his mood. As they entered the casino, the Cantori Diamond, he continued to keep a low profile. He moved in the shadows of the rooms to not attract attention. Lucanis had been gone longer than him. Thought dead, in fact. He wanted to give his friends the opportunity to enjoy their reunion. And so he leaned against a parapet and watched as Teia and Viago approached Lucanis in disbelief, both embracing him and exchanging pleasantries. Even his cousin Illario managed a half-smile and gave him a cursory hug. Rook smiled. It pleased him that they were all having a light-hearted moment. 

"Aren't you going to join them?" Neve snapped him out of his silent observation.

"Not yet," he replied, crossing his arms to hide the trembling of his hands.

In truth, he didn’t know how to act. Teia and Viago had sent him away for a reason. After Lucanis' disappearance, he had behaved impossibly. He had been drinking too much, fighting constantly, and reacted to well-meant advice with anger or coldness. And finally, he had put the whole family in danger by attacking the Antaam without order. Who would want to see someone like that again?

"I think you're worrying too much," Neve said, as if she could read the doubts in his eyes.

"What are you doing, standing there in the dark? Come here!" Lucanis' voice now echoed over to them and when Neve gave him a gentle shove, he complied.

"Àlvarito!" Teia called out after a surprised sigh escaped her. Of course she had recognised him first. She approached him quickly and literally collided with him in a tight embrace. For someone so small she sure had a strong grip.

Rook struggled to breathe for a moment, then he hugged his cousin back and buried his face in her wildly curled hair. She smelled like home. Family. He immediately felt a little better.

Viago was now standing with them too, and palmed his shoulder reassuringly. "It's good to see you," he said, sounding more sincere than Rook had expected.

Teia broke away from him and a sudden punch to the chest made him gasp. The short Elf had hit him and glared at him angrily. "Estùpido!" she snapped. "Where have you been all this time?"

He knew she wasn’t really angry, although she had every right to be. There had been no sign of life from him for almost a year as well. 

"How much time do you have?" Rook asked, running his hand over the back of his neck in embarrassment. 

Her fist hit him again, but with less force this time. "You better have a good excuse for why we haven’t heard a word from you," she grumbled and abruptly pulled him into another hug.

"That woman-" he heard Viago sigh. "Well… better him than me."

"I hate to interrupt," a smoky voice sounded from afar. It was Illario, who was now approaching them. He nodded briefly at Rook before announcing, "Caterina wants to see you."

~~~~~

Caterina Dellamorte. First Talon of the Crows. Every child in Antiva knew this name. Everyone knew that the fate of Treviso lay in her hands, that she pulled all the strings. By appearance she was nothing more than an attractive older lady, but her penetrating eyes told everyone that it was better to not mess with her. 

She was Lucanis' and Illario’s grandmother, had taken them in like sons and trained them as assassins. When Teia had joined the Crows with a very young Àlvaro in tow, she had paid them the same honour. For whatever reason, she had liked him a lot, spoiled him even if one listened to the Crow’s gossip. The day Viago had become a Talon himself she had insisted Àlvaro would join his house. And he believed it was to make sure to keep him in close this way. He himself always felt a nervous tug in his stomach whenever he just heard her name. For he remembered her other side. Her demands, her addiction to control everything and everyone, her coldness whenever someone acted against her will. And so he walked slightly behind everyone else when they approached her. 

She sat in an opulent armchair next to the fire. Legs crossed, one of her hands resting on a crane. Her otherwise rather hard features softened slightly in sight of the new arrivals.

"My boys have returned home," she said solemnly, extending her left hand to them so that Lucanis and Rook could place a kiss on it in turn.

"The whole family united, how refreshing," Illario commented tonelessly, standing next to his grandmother now with his hands clasped. 

"Quite right," Caterina agreed. "But as much as I would like to celebrate this happy occasion with you, we don’t have much time. There are clues to the whereabouts of Zara Renata."

"Zara," Lucanis hissed, and Rook could see the unbridled rage and a hint of purple light flaring in his eyes - The woman who had betrayed him. The one who had imprisoned him in the Ossuary, abused him for her experiments and bound Spite to him. Naturally, they both craved revenge.

"We’re still missing the crucial piece of the puzzle, but we're close to tracking her down," Caterina continued. "Revenge will be yours, Lucanis. You will free Treviso from a scourge. The day has finally come."

"I will," Lucanis agreed resolutely.

Rook couldn't ignore the bitter feeling in his guts any longer. Caterina didn’t even pretend to be surprised to see her grandson. "You knew Lucanis was still alive," he said sharply.

Caterina smiled. "Of course I did."

Rook looked at her, stunned. So did the rest of the present Crows, but nobody said anything. 

"Zara is a remarkable mage, but she couldn’t fool me," she continued, “The body our people brought back was not my grandson. It was dressed in his clothing but it had been altered with blood magic to have his face.”

Rook wanted to speak, but Illario beat him to it: “My cousin was alive? And you didn’t think to tell me?”

“His ship was attacked. We knew someone sold him out… so you kept your suspicions to yourself,” Viago concluded.

“I’ve had eyes on the Venatori ever since they took my grandson from me. What you did to the ritual of that elven mage threw them into disarray. They made mistakes. And I had a location. That’s where your friend Neve Gallus conveniently came into play. She wanted a favour from me, so I asked for one in return. And now everything is falling into place."

Her smug smile made Rook sick. He had followed her explanations as if in a trance but now an anger flared up inside him, like a flame he couldn't control. “You should have told us,” he spoke through closed teeth, staring at the floor.

"To lose Illario and you too?" she countered dryly. "You would have gone headlong into battle. I couldn't take that risk."

Rook clenched his fists. “This wasn't your decision-”

“Everything is my decision.”

The cruel tone in her voice sent a shiver down his spine. The pain of that night suddenly caught up with him again. It tugged at him as if it wanted to pull him to the ground. His heart was pounding against the cage of his ribs, he felt nauseous. And so, so angry. "No, Caterina. Not this!” he protested and looked up. He heard Teia saying his name, felt her reaching for his arm but he escaped the grip by taking a step forward. “All this time… and you knew. You watched me suffer and break apart!”

“Don"t be so dramatic now, Àlvaro” Caterina said blankly. “I-”

“It almost killed me!", Rook shouted, interrupting whatever she had intended to say next. He felt a tear running down his cheek. It seemed all his strength had left him with this outburst. "How could you-" he breathed, wiping the tear away hastily and staggering backwards a few steps, intending to leave.

Lucanis made an attempt to follow, but Rook shook his head. "I need some air," he said and hurried out.

~~~~~

The water under the bridge was black and calm. Not far away, the colourful lanterns of the market shimmered and there was a murmur of voices in the air. Rook breathed deeply. The anger had subsided, the tears dried up. Now he felt empty, humiliated by his own behaviour. He didn’t want to go back. Not yet. Maybe never again? 

He picked up a rock and skipped it over the water. For years, he had lived by Caterina’s rules, never questioning them. He had killed people at her behest! Always trusted her blindly. And in return she had kept this crucial information to herself because she thought he was a hot-tempered child. Well, maybe she was not wrong about that…

Suddenly, something brushed against his legs and snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked down at himself and discovered a street cat, black as the night with yellow eyes, which returned his gaze curiously. She turned around and rubbed her other flank along his calf before jumping onto the parapet and nudging him with her head. The moment he started to nuzzle her neck she began to purr eagerly. Her soft fur and the vibrating noises calmed him and Rook had to smile. He had always loved cats, desperately wanted one of his own as a child. And Treviso was teeming with them. 

"Here you are,” a familiar voice said from not too far away. It was Lucanis. He sounded worried, but composed as usual. Reassuring.

"I’ve never been good at hide-and-seek," Rook joked half-heartedly.

"Good for me," Lucanis realised, leaning back against the parapet so he could look at him. And at the cat, which was still enjoying a soft massage of her back, but warily kept an eye on the other man now. “I see you found a new friend already,” he commented while crossing his arms. He had never been very fond of cats. Or dogs. Anything on four legs, really. Rook remembered that he once said that he didn"t like the way animals stared into his soul.

“They just seem to like me,” Rook said, more to himself than anyone, while he gave her another good scratch behind the ear.

“I can't blame them,” Lucanis spoke with the glimpse of a smile dancing around his lips. But it died down when he asked: "How do you feel?"

"Like I have to punch someone," Rook admitted. 

"Save that for our next mission. Or, Illario maybe?" Lucanis said with a wink and then suggested: "Come, walk with me."

When they left, the cat jumped to the ground and followed them for a while. But soon something else seemed to have caught her interest and she disappeared into the night.

Lucanis let out a sudden groan. He sounded annoyed and when Rook threw a questioning look at him, he explained: “It's Spite… He asked if we eat cats.”

“No, we don’t!” Rook laughed at the ridiculousness of it but then realised: “He didn’t take over to ask this himself?”

Lucanis shook his head and his gaze apparently followed the for Rook invisible figure of his demon. “I think he's busy exploring the city.”

“He should. It might be his new home.”

The other seemed taken aback by this statement. “Your view on things has always amazed me,” he breathed with a smile.

"I’m sorry I caused you such grief," was the next thing he said after they had walked through the alleyways in silence for a while.

"To be precise, Caterina caused it," Rook answered grimly.

"I understand you, believe me. And yet I think she did the right thing."

Rook stared at him.

"Look..." Lucanis continued quickly. "If she had told you - that I was still alive. That I’m trapped somewhere and Zara is behind it... wouldn’t you have put yourself in danger to find me?"

"Probably, yes," Rook admitted. "But that would still have been better than lying in my room for days on end, drinking myself senseless for weeks and starting one fight after another. I would rather have died than feel like that."

"I'm very glad you're still alive," Lucanis said seriously and stopped.

Rook did the same and looked at him with narrowed eyebrows. Lucanis smiled again. He stroked his arm with one hand until he reached his hand and held it tightly. "I’m not asking you to forgive her. But maybe someday you'll understand."

Rook sighed, "Maybe. Someday."

He felt Lucanis squeeze his hand a little tighter and finally let his fingers slip through the spaces between his. "Come, this way," he murmured promisingly and Rook immediately felt a tingle run through his body.

Lucanis strolled with him along the water. It was quiet, hardly any people to be seen or heard. And as they turned around a corner, it gradually dawned on Rook where he was leading him. At least he hoped so, and the tingling grew stronger. 

He was right. They turned once more into a quiet alley. A small, golden lantern gleamed against one of the walls, ivy entwined around it. One could still hear the rushing water, but not much else. A peaceful place.

“This is where we first kissed”, Rook realised and felt Lucanis' smile even before he turned his head and saw it.

“It is”, he confirmed. Low, quiet, and Rook almost melted away at the sound. It encouraged him to lean back at the wall next to the lantern and say: “I stood right here.”

Lucanis' dangerous smile grew wider, his eyes heavy-lidded. “You did.”

“And you looked at me, exactly like you do now-”

“I said, This isn't a good idea.”

Rook smirked. “I said, Sometimes a bad idea is better.” He tried to control his breath. It felt like his heart would burst through his throat any moment and he swallowed.

“You like to walk a little too close to the edge,” Lucanis continued and came closer. He lifted his arm and placed his hand on the wall next to Rook's face, leaning in.

“So do you”, Rook murmured and let his fingers brush along Lucanis' chest.

Lucanis went on with the torture. His gaze was pinned on Rook's lips and his voice nothing but a raspy whisper when he repeated his last fatal sentence of that night. “At least I know I'm doing it.”

Rook shivered. Lucanis took a deep breath, tilted his head to the side and closed the last distance between them. Their lips met. So soft and careful, one could barely call it a touch. Lucanis sighed and cupped his face with both hands. Rook grabbed the leather of his coat and pulled him closer, inhaling his scent deeply. They parted, smiling and huffing, and reunited for a second, much deeper kiss. The world around them seemed to disappear.

And then it broke apart.

Several bangs went down on the city like thunderclaps. Stone shattered, fires blazed, people screamed. Lucanis and Rook scattered, stunned and confused. And then they saw it. A cruel black shadow arose from the darkness with a terrible roar, huge wings carrying it up into the air: a dragon. 

The Cantori Diamond

The next day, Rook made his way to Treviso. The city was still battered. Rubble laying about, people complaining, the Antaam marching through the streets in even greater numbers. The lack of Caterina's influence was starting to show.

It felt strange to be back after the chaos that had broken out last time. Teia had sent him a message enquiring how he was though, but not a word from Lucanis. Even if he could better understand now what was probably going on in his beloved’s mind, it hurt. After everything they had been through together before and after Lucanis' abduction. After he had reassured him that he still felt the same way he did before the Ossuary. After their kiss by the canal... Rook simply couldn't and wouldn't understand why he was staying away from him. But he was tired of waiting, guessing and feeling sorry for himself. They would need Lucanis’ help soon anyway to fight the cursed Gods, so he was determined to get him back.

Rook entered the casino, at least here not much had changed. The Crows were discussing their orders, resting or tending to their equipment. Teia and Viago could already be heard arguing from a distance. Yes. Business as usual.

“I hope I'm not interrupting something important,” Rook said with a cautious smile as he approached the two Talons.

Teia immediately threw her arms around his neck without a word, while Viago just managed a lopsided smile and shook his head. “What gives us the honour?” he asked.

“I’ve been promised a Mage Killer for my mission,” Rook said dryly. “But for some reason, he's hiding here.”

Teia and Viago looked at each other and back at him in astonishment, Rook returned their gaze in surprise.

“What?” he finally asked.

“Lucanis isn't here, Àlvarito,” Teia explained. “We thought he was already on his way back to you.”

“He didn't say goodbye, of course,” Viago relented, “But his room was suddenly empty this morning.”

Teia sighed, “Typical Dellamorte.”

“No news from Caterina then?” Rook concluded and when his cousin shook her head with an agitated look, he stroked her arm. Caterina had taken them both off the streets and he knew how much she meant to Teia, even if he had never developed such strong feelings for the older lady himself. “If the Venatori had murdered her, I'm sure we would have heard about it,” he said firmly. “They wouldn't keep such a triumph to themselves.”

“My words, exactly,” Viago agreed and couldn't seem to stop himself from adding, “But nobody listens to me.”

“No one has ever listened to you,” Teia managed a tease, her expression softening slightly. If there was one thing that could cheer her up, it was driving Viago insane.

Rook smirked briefly, but then he remembered why he was here. “So, Lucanis is gone now too,” he said and sighed. 

“I know where he is,” a voice sounded behind him and made him startle.

He whirled around to be greeted by the grey eyes of the younger Dellamorte. “Illario? Where did you come from?”

“I’d be a bad assassin if you heard me coming, no?” he replied with his usual sly smile.

“Stop making such a fuzz,” Viago grumbled. “Where is he?”

Illario gave him a fleeting, annoyed glance before explaining, “We found out where Zara is. We were supposed to set off together today, but apparently my cousin wants to take matters into his own hands.”

“And you didn't follow him?”, Teia snapped, causing Illario to raise his hands in defence.

“I only just realised that he's gone!”

“Take me there,” Rook demanded, putting an end to the commotion.

“As you wish.”

Viago took a step towards them. “I'll go with you.”

But Rook shook his head. “You keep watching over the city. I can do this.”

~~~~~

Treviso

Rook thought he had explored every corner of the city after more than two decades, but Illario led him through alleyways and tunnels he had never seen before. They had been travelling in the semi-darkness for so long that he wasn't sure he would ever find the way back on his own. Finally, they descended a long, winding staircase that lay behind an ivy-covered passageway and reached a heavy door without lock. Illario pulled something out of his pocket, which Rook identified as a seal of some kind in the faint glow of his torch. The other inserted it into a matching socket in the centre of the door and it opened a crack. As soon as they entered, the smell of blood and guts crept into Rook's nose and he hastily tucked it into the crook of his arm. In front of them was a dimly lit corridor, the buzzing of countless flies in the air and if Rook had followed his instincts, he would have left this disgusting place as quickly as possible. 

“Where the fuck are we?” he asked, voice muffled by his own arm.

“Zara's secret hideout,” Illario replied curtly, motioning Rook to follow him.

“And you found it by accident and have a key to the entrance?”

“I'll explain it to you later. Come now.”

Illario suddenly set a faster pace and Rook was glad he didn't have time to find out if he was tripping over dirt or human remains. 

The corridor was agonizingly long, the buzzing of the flies and the stench of rotten meat sent a cold shiver down his spine. He had a bad feeling about blindly following the other Crow. Illario had been a good friend to him for many years and he trusted him. But his secrecy was suspicious and Rook decided to not let his guard down.

They reached another door, which concealed some sort of crypt. Pieces of wood, chunks of stone and the bodies of at least four Venatori were scattered on the floor - Lucanis had already been here apparently and they just had to follow his trail.

Several corridors and two more rooms later, Illario stopped him abruptly and gestured to him to walk slower. Voices echoed nearby and when they turned next, Rook could make out lights. They walked on, quietly, their footsteps trained in silence, until they reached a large hall and peered cautiously around the corner. In front of their eyes lay an immense pool, surrounded by mighty pillars, torches and candles. It was filled with blood and Rook felt his stomach turn. But then he sensed movement and finally caught sight of a woman who, apparently pushed by someone, landed on her back in the pool of blood. She got up again in a flash and now her opponent came into his field of view. It was Lucanis. Just as he had last seen him in the Ossuary - black wings framing him, purple light shining from his eyes.

The young Crow dared to take a step forward, but Illario pulled him back. “Wait. Leave him. Don't take away his revenge.”

“We have to help him!” Rook hissed back at him.

“And hurt his pride? Mierda, you know what he's like. If things get serious, we can still intervene.”

Rook groaned, but leaned back against the wall. “This is madness!”

Lucanis had the situation under control for the time being, even if his opponent wasn't making it easy for him. The whirring sound in the air told Rook that she was using powerful magic. Blood magic, to be precise. And without Spite, the fight would certainly have been a lot harder for the Crow. It was somewhat satisfying to watch Zara's own creation turning against her. How much Lucanis and Spite must have suffered from her experiments, he could only assume. 

Once again, Lucanis rose into the air with the help of Spite's wings and crashed down on Zara, who struggled to dodge and this time took a little longer to get back on her feet. It seemed as if the fight would soon be decided. 

But then suddenly, three Venatori appeared out of nowhere to rush to her aid. One of them created a protective shield around Zara and Lucanis cursed. Illario had disappeared, probably to attack from a better angle, but Rook sprinted off from where he was. He first hid behind one of the pillars that was close enough to the pool, readied two arrows at the same time, whirled around, took a deep breath and aimed. The arrows whistled through the air and immediately took out the first Venatori. Zara and Lucanis hadn't noticed, but another Venatori had, and was now readying his wand to attack Rook. Yet he had already fitted two new arrows and killed the second target with one shot. Lucanis was still busy with the third new opponent and so Rook focussed his next shot on Zara. She was still surrounded by the shield, however, and the projectiles simply bounced off of it. Rook instinctively took cover as she stared in his direction and he used the moment to look around. Eventually, he spotted three red crystals floating in the air and remembered them from the Ossuary. A favourite trick of the Venatori, it seemed. While the mage had proceeded to provoke and spit hostilities at Lucanis, Rook ran closer to the action, shooting the crystals one by one. The shield dissolved and now the two finally noticed him.

Lucanis sighed his name in shock and Zara suddenly smiled cruelly. Without further hesitation, she lunged at Rook, who dodged to the side but still got to meet her long nails. They scratched his cheek and he felt his skin gaping open and blood instantly dripping from his jaw. He heard Lucanis grunt, his own voice mingling with Spite's, and purple light rushed past him. Then everything happened very fast. Rook had barely turned around when he saw Lucanis grabbing Zara and throwing her back into the centre of the room. She crashed into one of the pillars with a bloodcurdling scream and fell like a rock into the bloodpit. Black wings immediately carried Lucanis to her, pulling her up and flinging her to the floor beside the pool. Zara gasped and struggled to get up. Her previously black hair had suddenly turned grey and her face and body seemed to have aged decades. She tried to grab hold of the pillar next to her as she stammered: “So serious, Lucanis. Why don't we talk? I can tell you much about Venatori... and our pet crows.”

Lucanis' jaw tightened, his head tilted compulsively to one side, and Rook assumed that Spite was trying to gain control. He walked slowly towards the two, but remained silent.

Zara used the moment for further appeasement. “You want to know who betrayed you, don't you? Who sent you to the Ossuary?”

“Talk!” Lucanis spat out.

But before Zara could get to it, Illario appeared in front of her. Lucanis said his name in confusion, while his cousin had already turned around, grabbed the skinny woman's throat and snapped her neck with a single hand movement.

Black smoke erupted from Lucanis, just like the purple light in his eyes. Spite had taken possession of him. “No! Mine!” he roared and lunged at the other Crow.

Illario crashed to the ground and barely managed to prevent Lucanis' dagger from sinking into his chest. He gripped the other's wrist tightly and struggled against him. Lucanis regained command for a moment and turned desperately to Rook. “Get Illario out!” he shouted, seemingly unable to control his body.

Rook was petrified. How on earth was he supposed to free Illario from this situation? He did what came to his mind first and yelled, “Spite, no!” 

It seemed to work, as the tension in Lucanis’ body eased enough for Illario to kick his cousin off of him. The latter landed on his back with a gasp and Illario was immediately bending over him, a red light shimmering around him as he murmured, “Relent,” and the older Crow sank to the floor entirely.  

Illario withdrew and looked at Rook, who was unable to grasp the meaning of the scene. “Àlvaro,” he addressed him sternly, “That thing controlling him tried to kill me! Keep him away. From Treviso. From the Crows. He's a danger to the family.” And with that, he just left, leaving behind an utter mess of confusion.

~~~~~

The Cantori Diamond

“There, that should be enough for now,” Teia said, putting the remains of the bandages to the side. “I hope the mage in your lodgings can take care of the rest.”

“I hope so too,” Rook huffed and cheekily added, “Would be a shame to ruin my pretty face, wouldn't it?”

Teia punched his arm, albeit lightly. “It really would!” she protested, already catching her breath to berate him further, but the door opened and Lucanis stepped in.

“Am I interrupting?” he asked with an uncertain smile.

The elf sighed. “Of course not. But we will have a word about you bringing my cousin home like that, later.” She stood up and gathered the bandages. “I'll leave you to it, then.”

Lucanis waited a moment after she left before taking a seat in the chair across from Rook where Teia had just been sitting.

“Does it hurt much?” he asked gently.

“No, I'm fine.”

Lucanis shook his head. “I'm sorry. I was too slow.”

“Me too,” Rook said, shrugging his shoulders. 

“That was my business,” Lucanis returned, and Rook felt a brief tug in his chest at his serious tone. 

“You shouldn't have been there to begin with.”

“I was, though,” Rook returned almost defiantly, reminded of the uncertainty and doubt Lucanis had left him alone with for days. “And I would have preferred it if you had told me where you were going.”

He huffed. “Of course... a Dellamorte always solves their problems alone. Except it almost went wrong today.”

“I would have handled it alone.”

“And if you had not? I just got you back and you're plunging back into uncertainty alone.”

Lucanis breathed out audibly and leaned back against the chair, his hands clasped in his lap. “I don't want you to worry about me.”

“But I-”

The older Crow interrupted him. “Don't you understand? I can't allow myself to be so distracted.”

“What do you mean?” Rook asked and his heart began to beat faster. 

“Àlvaro…” the other whispered, before standing up and taking a few steps. He seemed to weigh his words for a moment, uneasy, nervous, index finger and thumb suddenly pressed against the bridge of his nose again. Spite was taking part in the conversation then, too. Finally he sighed, stopped and looked back at Rook. “I need to find Illario. And Caterina. And when that's done, we're still stuck with those damn Gods. Do you know what we're up against? You're putting your life in my hands and I... I can't concentrate because I'm scared all the time that something might happen to you.”

Rook felt his eyes widen, while Lucanis’ words slowly sank in. Tears started to blur his vision and he stared at his own hands. “So... actually you don't want to have to worry about me?” he concluded, almost nauseous at the thought of where this conversation could lead.

“No, I-” the other began but cut himself off with a groan. “Damn it, Àlvaro, I'm possessed by a demon! You aren’t safe with me anymore!”

“A Spirit,” Rook corrected without thinking and only realised it when Lucanis looked at him in confusion. But then he remembered what he had discussed with Emmrich and stood up as well, blinking the tears away. “Spite is trapped in this situation just like you are,” he said. “He helped us get you out of the Ossuary. He helped you hunt down Zara…”

“Freedom. Revenge,” Lucanis replied bitterly. “He didn't do that for me.”

“But you make a good team when you have a common goal. Don't you?”

Lucanis crossed his arms and took a deep breath. He shook his head, but said nothing.

So Rook continued: “He hasn't done anything to me yet. And he... he was quiet when we kissed. No?”

“But he was there,” the other complained. “He's always there. Just the thought of him seeing you... No, I can't do this right now. Forgive me, I need to clear my head.” 

The older Crow was about to storm out of the room when the door flew open. Viago and Teia appeared, looking upset.

“I think we know where Caterina is,” Teia explained breathlessly. “There was a message from Villa Dellamorte.”