The great training room shook as Cassiopeia unleashed her rage on the static targets. Stone statues fragmented and fell from her blows, scattering themselves across the floor. Venom quickly disintegrated what wasn't broken, leaving a very slight haze for a few seconds. Servants had gathered at the other end of the mansion, knowing full well that any attention they happened to gain from their mistress would most likely mean painful death. The foundations of the building shook as her coils swung about erratically.

"The house is not to blame for my failure."

Talon's voice caused the serpentine woman to stop short. She turned her glare towards the man, magic crackling dangerously around her.

"Don't speak to me!" she shrieked, spitting poison in his direction. He easily dodged it, as she knew he would; however, even he wasn't fast enough to stop her tail from pinning him painfully against the nearby wall. "Your carelessness! Your recklessness is what has put us into this position! And now Katarina is held prisoner because of you!"

Talon stayed silent, his face impassive as she screamed at him. He made no move to defend himself, staying still as the clawed hands slapped his face. Four distinct scratches appeared on his cheek, the green venom visible in the open wounds.

Calming a bit, Cassiopeia closed her eyes and breathed heavily. Quickly, she pulled a small vile out of her outfit and dabbed the tip with her finger. "Anti-venom," she said in way of explanation as she spread the liquid across his cuts. When she finished she resumed her glare.

"I know you have not stopped looking for Marcus; I know that Katarina has been aware and done nothing to discourage it. You have not hidden your disgust for General Swain, nor have you made any special attempt to disguise your actions. I allowed you to continue only because no harm had come to my sister or I. But now, after this…" she trailed off, face contorted with emotion. "Now I am demanding you to stop. You crossed the line when you put the members of this house in danger."

Talon shook his head slightly. "Lady Cassiopeia, I cannot stop my search."

The serpent tail constricted tightly around his torso. "You would put mine and my sister's lives at risk in order to satisfy your curiosity?" she demanded, voice raising.

"I will be more careful-"

"There is no more careful, Talon! You've been found out, you're finished! Leave my father's mysery alone!"

"He is my purpose!" Talon snapped, his voice raising uncharacteristically.

"He is my FATHER!" Cassiopeia answered, dark magic crackling and swirling around her. The walls groaned as the sudden burst of magic pulled at their structural beams and joists, causing the entire building to shiver slightly.

"No matter what you think he is to you, he is my father! He raised me, he loved me. The only ones to look at me without fear after I transformed are you, Katarina, and him!" she continued. "Do you think I do not miss him? Do you think I am simply writing him off? I love my father, Talon. But he is gone, most likely dead, and we have to move on."

Cassiopeia's strength finally ebbed, and she released her crushing grip on the assassin's chest. Talon fell to one knee, lungs sucking in much needed air as his vision spotted and swirled. Still he kept her gaze, eyes never leaving hers. The woman's expression fell as she slumped into what could be considered a sitting position before him.

"It hurts, Talon. Katarina won't talk about it, you won't talk about it, and I will not discuss it with the servants. We do not weep, for it is not the Noxian way. But that doesn't mean it does not still hurt us," she said softly, a tear slowly making its way down her face. "My father is dead."

Talon almost reached out to comfort her, but a hard look kept him in place. "No matter how close you and Katarina become, no matter how you were treated when Marcus was here, you are not my brother, Talon. You will never be my brother," she said coldly. "If you weren't so important to Katarina, I would have killed you for your actions today. But she needs you, and by extension then so do I. So we will save her, together.

"At the end of all of this, I know that you will continue to search. No matter my threats, no matter the dangers, you will continue to look for information about my father. I cannot stop you. However," she said sternly, "it will no longer be an open search. You will no longer be forming alliances and making contacts within other nations. Any searching you do will be in absolute secrecy. You will not endanger myself or my sister again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady Cassiopeia," Talon answered, head bowing at his reponse.

Satisfied at his answer, Cassiopeia raised herself up once more. Fatigue was evident in her eyes as she surveyed the damage to the training room, but she expelled it with determination.

"Go. After Swain's appearance and actions, I can no longer believe that he was the one who attempted to Scry us. You must find out who attempted to see us and, if true, Swain. I will do my part to discredit Swain's accusations against Katarina and keep her from whatever punishment he was waiting."

"Yes, Lady Cassiopeia," Talon said once more before vanishing from the room.

Cassiopeia slowly made her way back towards her room. Servants began making their way back to their work areas once more as she moved, still giving her a wide berth. As she positioned herself in front of her desk, she closed her eyes momentarily.

"Father, we will save her. I promise you, we will save Katarina."