"I have a basement," Liliana said, her same sultry tone meeting Jace's ears. Jace was wary of her of course, but ever since she'd accosted him in Ravnica, she'd rarely left his thoughts. Everything about the woman still drove him crazy; the way her chest rose and fell when she spoke, the way her mischievous smile formed, the way her voice sounded. When she had crooned in his ear earlier; goosebumps had erupted on his skin, the swooping feeling had come back, his pants involuntary growing tighter…

That had been a nearly nightly occurrence for Jace Beleren. Gideon's disapproving glares when he'd heard Jace murmur Liliana's name in his sleep all those nights on Zendikar.

The Gatewatch. The eldrazi- for the sake of the multiverse, he'd agreed to keep watch. Ugin had sent him here in the pursuit of Sorin Markov, who seemed to know the secret of the third Eldrazi titan. The pursuit of information was had governed Jace his entire existence, but he did not like this place. The chill that the plane seemed to emanate was in and of itself off putting to Jace. He heaved a sigh and descended the steps of Liliana's stately manor house, an odd feeling in his stomach.

When she had told him not to go to Markov Manor, it seemed as though she was genuinely worried for his safety. But then again, all those years ago, on Ravnica, she had stayed with him. What were Liliana Vess' machinations? He didn't know. He never had, though.

He had wanted to see Liliana for so long. He wanted to help her out of the deal she'd brokered herself into and try to know the person that he found. He ached for her in a way that he knew that he shouldn't. Jace cleared his throat and tried to push Liliana from his mind. He looked around the room where she had sent him, and he took in a breath, shocked. There were books, books upon books. It was like the room that he had in Ravnica, the books that he brought back from his travels. He ran his hands over the spines of the volumes on the walls. He pulled out an old, battered looking tome, and sat down at the old desk. The pages looked worn at best, but Jace found that these were the books that he loved most. When he cracked it open, his breath caught in his chest, unable to believe the sight that greeted him.


Liliana sat in the stiff backed chair, not believing what had went on in her sitting room. Jace on Innistrad? What on earth could bring him here? What could Sorin Markov possibly offer him that she couldn't? She'd gladly protect him, in Liliana's convoluted mind, he still belonged to her, she to him. They had unfinished business, but Jace had walked into her home demanding directions to Markov Manor. Well, if she allowed him to make his way to Sorin's wretched estate, that was a good as signing his death warrant. Sorin did not take kindly to newcomers, especially nosy, meddling newcomers like Jace Beleren. She couldn't send him there, not alone. Jace would taste Sorin's blade or somone of the Markov line would drain him of his blood, and the thought of Jace hurting is not one that Liliana relished. She hadn't been there when he'd found out what she'd done with Tezzeret, but her mind had created a broken version of the man she loved, one that haunted her, and had for years. The nightmares that were once only of Josu now had Jace weave in and out of them. Liliana breathed in, sharply, trying to banish the thought. He would be gone tomorrow. She couldn't bring him into this mess she had created. She refused to take his life like she did Josu's. She pursed her lips, refusing to think any more on the matter of Jace Beleren.


The pages of the tome weren't printed in small fonts like the books that Jace usually read, this was a memory book. The pages were covered in pictures and Liliana's script. He ran his fingers over it. It was a picture that he had the other half of, tucked in his cloak.

The words were simple.

I'm sorry.

Come here, Jace thought, and he knew Liliana heard him.

Her breath caught in her chest when she heard him in her mind. What could he possibly want? Had he wandered into one of the many traps that Liliana had throughout the manor? She doubted it. Jace was truly smarter than that.

Liliana Calliope… Jace's voice grew louder.

He hadn't called her that in years; not since…. No. She could not and would not let her mind wander down that path. Only danger lived down that path. She swallowed the lump in her throat. A blush started to color her cheeks. She had her hand on the knob to the basement, but before she could turn in, she found her back against the cool stone wall, Jace Beleren's arms holding hers above her head, his hips pinning hers to the wall. When hers lips tasted his, she knew that the fight was over. She would give him anything.

She would give him everything.