"To his defense, Kat, daddy knew her and…" Cassiopeia tried to interrupt her sister, who was screaming at the top of her lungs.
"I DON'T CARE!" The redhead screeched. "I WAS AGAINST THIS FROM THE BEGINNING, but YOU TOLD ME TO..."
"…TO SHUT UP!" Cassiopeia screamed back, "and I'll REPEAT IT if you don't FUCKING LISTEN TO ME!"
Talon gladly stayed out of the argument, his thoughts were reeling. Cassiopeia had slept with men to gather their secrets, before her change of course. He compared the cheerful blonde to his scaled sister, who had been a snake even before her tongue had forked.
Katarina bared her teeth. "She could have gathered everything…"
Cassiopeia knew her sister, and she knew how Katarina dealt with her anger. So she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "So you think daddy is that careless?"
Katarina's vision went red.
Cassiopeia continued. "Don't be jealous because he actually is fucking a…"
"Shut. Up." Katarina warned, her voice now dangerously low. "As soon as I am not here to…"
"This has nothing to do with you." Cassiopeia interrupted once more, her composure now successfully gathered.
Talon knew Marcus would allow any direct threat to reach them. But he wasn't delusional enough to think the older assassin didn't use every opportunity to educate those under his care. And, something Marcus had reinforced often enough was that Lux was his responsibility. Marcus had promised not to intervene and Talon had refrained from asking why, so now he was left to deal with the consequences of his choice. And it would be his duty to decide which actions he'd have to take in order to deal with the situation at hand.
Fuck.
Lux' affection had not felt fake. Talon had seen Cassiopeia at work, wrapping men around her little finger with the sway of her hips. Her calculated smiles, the timed glances had nothing in common with his cheerful ball of light. But each and every one of Cassiopeia's men had felt the same, felt like the one and only. Could somebody be so much better than his sister at her own game? Was he just an idiot for consorting with someone whose main occupation was to lie and deceive people? Should this aching feeling in his chest, the hurt that told him she had betrayed him, even be his first priority right now?
Katarina was oblivious to the thoughts running through his head. "This has everything to do with me! I am the one in Kalamanda, I am the one dealing with Demacians! I am supposed to fight against them, using the plans made by the High Command. And now one of them had the opportunity to roam our house and gather information to use against us? Has a direct connection to us? TO MY BROTHER? She knows Talon's ugly face, for fuck's sake! HOW HAS THIS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME?" Katarina tightened her hand to a fist. Talon wasn't sure why she had not drawn a dagger by now.
He looked at Cassiopeia, his vision fully returning. He hoped she had an answer for the fuming redhead, but the serpent, for once, seemed to be at loss of words. Talon closed his eyes again, remembering Marcus' words. Lots of tactical maneuvering, Talon. Marcus had warned him often enough, he was not to blame. Talon was self-aware enough to notice he was hoping for another explanation. He blindly hoped just like all the fools Cassiopeia had led on, despite all the signs pointing against them.
Katarina waited, her anger smoldering down to embers. "I have to leave tomorrow morning, Talon, so you are going to fix this. Don't you dare compromise my mission." She turned on her heels, preparing to storm out of the room.
"Tell me you don't feel set up." Talon hissed, the only conclusion his brain had spilled out. He wasn't able to decipher if it was hope or logic talking.
Katarina faltered, now with her anger vented. "What do you mean?" She snapped.
"Tell me you think the sequencing of events is just a little too convenient." Talon closed his eyes again, asking himself when he had turned off his brain enough to let blind rage dictate his next steps. That had never happened before. He had always kept a certain detachment, an overview that allowed him to stay out of the hassle everyone else tended to get caught up in. Right now he felt unable to see the bigger picture, today's blow had hit too close to home for that.
"That doesn't change one single thing, brother dear." Katarina answered, voice dripping with sarcasm. Then she turned with red hair flowing, slamming the door shut behind her.
Maybe it didn't, Talon thought. But maybe someone was trying to make him do their dirty work. And there was only one person's dirty work he did, Marcus'. He cursed again, loudly this time.
After the echo of Katarina's steps disappeared and silence took its place, Talon's mattress dipped under Cassiopeia's weight, before she stretched out next to him, folding her hands over her stomach and turning her gaze to the ceiling. "You really think father would have risked our safety just to teach you something?" Cassiopeia hissed quietly, contemplating.
Talon shrugged. The lessons were harsh sometimes. The question: which part was the lesson here and was it truly over? One thing Katarina was right about: compromising his family was out of question. He'd rather die before letting that happen. He'd rather live with the knowledge of having eliminated every possibility of that knowledge slipping to where it shouldn't.
Lux fled as fast as her feet could take her. Mindlessly first, throwing her invisibility up and getting out of the building as fast as possible was her only goal. Second, came the thought to get out of the ivory ward district. Halfway through the upper city, she noticed a distinct lack of someone chasing her, which made her pause, listening breathlessly like a doe after her predator had almost devoured her.
The usual noises of Noxus Prime disturbed the nocturne silence, it was neither too quiet nor too loud. Nothing indicated that anybody was following her. She looked around, checking where her headless escape had brought her. To her astonishment, it was the street of Quiletta's home. With a heavy gulp she looked around. No bystanders, no ravens. She discarded her invisibility and changed her face to the Ionian features of Mitsuko.
She knocked at Quiletta's door, her breathing labored. What had happened?
It took some time and more knocking, before she heard the sound of heavy locks being shoved out of place and a tousled looking Decius stood in the door.
"Mitsuko?" He asked and stepped aside, a sword, once hidden behind him, was in his right hand.
"Can I come in?" Lux asked with a sob, already taking a step towards him.
"Sure, what…" Decius pulled her inside and closed the door, closing the locks.
Lux leaned against the door and pressed the heels of her hands against her burning eyes. It didn't work. She felt the moisture on her skin.
She felt Decius' eyes roaming over her, only now remembering the blood on her disheveled, partly destroyed clothes.
"Mama!" Decius called loudly, clearly panicking before he started babbling. "Are you in pain? Did somebody hurt you? Are they still outside? Was it a group? Tell me the direction!" He almost tripped while he pulled his armored boots from the wardrobe. "MAMA!" He screamed louder as Lux didn't answer, but the first droplets trickled through her fingers, down her cheeks.
Seconds later, Quiletta swept into the room, armed with her sword. "What in the name of Noxus…" She hissed, head whipping to get an overview. The door was locked, check. No intruder inside. "Mitsuko?" She asked in surprise. "It is in the middle of the night. What in Noxus were you doing out there alone?" Quiletta looked through the peep hole in the door.
"I…I didn't know where else to go…" Lux sobbed, crumbling from the sharp pain in her chest. "I can go again, if…"
"No." Quiletta interrupted, checking her outer appearance, noticing the disarray. "What happened?"
"Did somebody attack you?" With his initial shock subsiding, Decius' voice became steady again.
Oh light, she had attacked Talon.
Quiletta's hands roamed over her arms for a superficial body check, steadying her in the process. She did not see any wounds, the old blood looked more like an abrasion to her. Her hand wandered to Lux' cheek. "Tell me." Her voice became soft.
Lux' heart clenched and suddenly she was unable to breath. Talon thought she had spied on his family. The words tumbled out before she could double-check them. "I…I…My beloved thinks I betrayed him." She choked out, heart clenching painfully at the memory of the look in his eyes.
Quiletta stilled her movements. For a moment it was quiet, save for Lux fighting for air. "Decius, good night." Quiletta's voice admitted no contradiction in her order. The young man, whose eyes had widened during Lux' confession, obeyed swiftly and not without relief, leaving the women alone. Then Quiletta's arm slid around Lux' shoulders. The mage buried her face against Quiletta's shoulder and started to cry.
If Talon thought her an enemy, she was as good as dead. He would never give her enough time to explain herself to him. Talon was fast, frighteningly fast and effective. And he had looked more furious than she had ever seen him. Her only chance was to move quicker than he did.
Quiletta, noticing her receding of tears finally asked. "Mind telling me what happened?" Her voice was soft while she continued stroking over her hair. It felt…unbelievably good to be held like this. Lux almost began to cry again. But she breathed through her last sobs. Quiletta's house was too obvious a target, she could not stay for long. What would happen to them if they were caught in her presence, as her accomplice?
But Quiletta earned an explanation. She had lied to her so much already…And Lux had not talked to anyone except Talon for years now. Not about something personal, and nothing true, at least. "He thinks I spied on his family." Lux explained, voice strained.
Quiletta let her go as she stopped sobbing, but continued the calming touch on her hair. "Did you?" She asked softly.
"NO!" Lux croaked out. "No, I would never." She swiped her hands over her eyes. "I never did. I never would." Who in their right mind would cross blades with the Du Couteaus, even if she took her feelings for Talon out of the equation?
Quiletta's silence was contemplating. "Is there any chance you can explain that to him?"
Lux sniffed, remembering the expression on his face. First the look of disbelieve, a short twitch of hurt before fury had flared up in his eyes as he had sensed a threat to his sister. There had been no room for negotiations besides his protective instinct for his family. "No. I…I need to leave." She concluded, shuddering at the memory of his eyes.
Quiletta's brow creased. "My offer still stands. We'll move in eight days."
Lux flinched. Eight days was much too long. "No, he'd find me by then. I'll need to go right now." She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. Her light felt far away right now, but the professional part of her mind was ready to start working again. There was absolutely no time to cry, not even over…Lux stopped herself, setting her every thought on the sole goal she had to accomplish. Fleeing from the best tracker she knew. "There is something more important though. Would you still deliver my letter?" Lux closed her eyes, pressing the heels of her hands against them. There was no rest for a spy, regardless how much she wanted to curl up in Quiletta's arms, confess all her sins and hope for a soothing pat on the back in return. There was no way for this scenario to become reality to her. Not now, not ever.
Quiletta's sympathy was honest, even though a short flicker of suspect flitted over her eyes. It didn't change her answer, though. "Yes, I will."
Lux almost sagged to the ground in relief. Helping the Ionians against the Noxian invasion was of greatest importance. With sudden clarity another thing jumped to her mind. "Can…Can you do me another favor?" She closed her eyes in shame. She wanted so much from Quiletta, it felt like she was using her. But right now her options were limited.
Quiletta let go of her hair. "Tell me what you need, Mitsuko. And tell me who that man is to throw you in such a state of panic."
Lux wiped her face. She had no energy left to craft another lie. Keeping information was hard enough right now. "He…he is an assassin." She confessed, the secret she had withheld for more than three years heavy on her tongue.
Quiletta's eyes widened. "Those men are dangerous." She hissed. "They do not search for honest battles, but…" She seemingly caught herself and took a deep breath, resuming to pat Lux' head.
"I know he is dangerous." Lux defended herself, hiding her face in her hands. "But to me he is…was…caring and gentle, he loves his family, and he is all the things nobody is! I knew…" Lux was not able to suppress the next burst of tears.
Quiletta sighed, her eyes softened as she coaxed Lux' face against her shoulder. "How can I help?"
Lux needed another moment to gather her voice. "I have a horse." The thought of leaving Starfire behind was not nearly as painful as leaving Talon, without the opportunity to try and talk this over. But Lux couldn't bear the thought of leaving her white stallion in Noxus Prime for too long. Sadly, returning to the stable was no option. "He is a good boy, but much too noticeable. Can you take him to Basilich? I can't stand the thought of him getting hurt…"
"Sure." Quiletta cut her short. "You are sure you have to leave right now? Decius may guide you…"
"No." Lux pressed out, eyes widening. She did not want to endanger one of the few persons watching out for her. If Quiletta suspected anything, she didn't voice it, but let go of Lux as she parted from her. There was no time to cry. She had too much to do.
The stable was silent save for the occasional snorting of a horse and the rustling of straw disturbing the silence of the night.
LeBlanc didn't like animals. They smelled, and by now her hunt was starting to get annoying. Swain's new secretary had vanished faster than she had thought possible. Her lackeys not able to detect and trace her anymore, she was left with doing the dirty work herself. LeBlanc had not anticipated the expanse of emotions she had stirred, had not anticipated the girl fleeing instead of cuddling up with the man she should feel safe with. The matron seemingly had misinterpreted their emotions, for every human searched contact when threatened.
Sad, but she had other ways to use the girl. She only had to get a hold of her first. Tomorrow morning, at seven o'clock, the girl had to be at Swain's disposal, and the Deceiver was not willing to let this opportunity slip through her fingers to plant a spy in his midst. So now she, in person, had combed through twelve taverns in the potential radius the girl could have lodged for the night.
Her results so far turned up nothing. No room was rented by her, and by now LeBlanc was getting severely irritated. Where could that brat hide? She had started searching through the stables, too, just in case the girl wouldn't behave like a normal woman. But here, too, nothing. Not even a stable boy slept in the hayloft, and nothing caught her eye despite this being already the second rotation through the nearest taverns.
LeBlanc halted. Not even a stable boy? She looked around, more carefully this time. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, as far as she was concerned. Still, servants normally slept with their animals, right? At least they had in the former taverns. Her eyes narrowed. Did the straw look different in that spot? LeBlanc tiptoed over the creaking floorboards. Well, would-be creaky, but her steps were as soundless as always.
Now, listening intently, LeBlanc heard the soft breathing of another person.
Finally. A sly smile stretched across her lips. I found you, she cooed in her thoughts.
Without a sound, she pulled her first item out and gently dropped it next to where she imagined the other person's head would be. The good thing about people in trusting relationships was they were always heavy sleepers, inclined, under certain circumstances, to tolerate slight touches without waking up. The girl was no exception and, interpreting the movement of the straw, she was curling around the shirt LeBlanc had dropped, giving the pale woman a sense of how her body was oriented.
LeBlanc drew a blade over her own arm, she had checked beforehand if this clone possessed blood, bent down to where the girl's head seemingly rested, fingers brushing under the back of her neck. "Hey." She whispered tunelessly as the girl's invisibility slowly faded, her eyes opening sluggishly, unseeing in the dark. With a slow, unobtrusive movement she closed the chain around her neck, letting her blood drip on the links.
The fingers of the other woman grasped to her neck. "What…" A suddenly very awake voice asked.
"Gotcha." LeBlanc cooed softly and she heard the flow of an indrawn in breath. Then she felt the flare-up of magic under her fingertips, a power she had seldom felt in this strength, gathering and... "No magic." She ordered, and something surged inside the collar before the girl's powers crashed against it like a tidal wave against a solid rock, lighting the chain with a sick, green glow and a static sizzle. The color amplified the anguish in the girl's face as she winced in pain, the uproar under LeBlanc's fingertips snuffed out like a candle. The Deceiver was suddenly very glad she had not taken that hit full force. For a moment, the girl panted through what had to feel like her head bursting, before she glimpsed up, blinking the tears of pain out of her eyes.
"Hullo." The Deceiver whispered friendly. "Be quiet now. You will obey my every command. Understood?"
The girl's fingers wandered over the beads on her neck as her eyes closed, seemingly trying and failing to read the magic etched into the stone.
LeBlanc let her. It would be easier that way. It took the girl a solid five minutes before her eyes opened, a dangerous kind of calm radiating from her eyes. LeBlanc knew she had won this fight. Petricite was a wonderful material. By suppressing the girl's powers, she also took away her ability to read the magic as well. Sadly, the secrets of how to form petricite in this form were lost long ago. Had she only known sculptor Durand a few hundred years ago, she would have put his craftsmanship to much better use. Luckily she was able to work with what he had left.
"What do you want?" The girl whispered, grasp tightening around the collar.
LeBlanc allowed herself a wide smile. She did not underestimated people waiting before striking full force, as they weren't necessarily harmless. Luckily, there wasn't much a mage could do against petricite and with the little advances made to this particular piece, resistance should be impossible. "Oh, how nice of you to ask."
Inexperienced players underestimated the value of revealed cards. Jericho knew she planned something with the girl, but he wasn't able to discern the exact course she took. He might think that knowing a threat existed would save him from it, but LeBlanc knew this to be untrue. She had made one step openly, revealing her knowledge about the blonde girl, but Swain did not know of her capabilities. He, too, would get his fair share from what the girl had to offer. But the lion's share would be for her, and her alone. Hopefully she could get out a little bit of useful intel out of her before she outlived her usefulness.
"So, little one. How about we get started by talking about that lover of yours?"
She was gone.
Talon knew it by looking at the lights. First out of habit, then with a growing sense of unrest, he checked the areas she had previously resided in, combing through the undercity, checking Quiletta Varn's location as well as the district Swain lived in. Nothing. The flicker of lamps, the subtle brighter halo around lit torches, everything that had hinted at her presence, was nowhere to be found.
It was not that Talon hadn't known she would flee, but suspecting and seeing for himself that she was gone were two completely different things. The possibility of her having used him burned in his stomach while his chest ached with an emptiness he hadn't known before. But there was no use in wishing he could have a second chance to talk, to try to clarify things between them and find out if she had really chosen to betray him, if everything was a lie. They probably both knew he'd kill her for compromising his family. A hard realization to handle but he was now one more reason for her to not come back. Noxus Prime was a darker place after this revelation.
Maybe, if she was focused on hiding from him, she'd evade whatever had been, and probably still was, chasing after her.
Another part of him also dreaded his next visit to Demacia, whenever that might come. Regardless of what lay in front of him, Talon didn't want to hide in the shadows anymore, nothing more in mind than waiting for the next order. Now, he would seek out his own enlightenment and the truth that came with it. The question was, how war would he go to find out once and for all who she really was and what she meant to him. And if he did discover it, the truth, could he join her in the light or would he follow his path into darkness, alone.
As he looked out over the dark city, his chest tightened as uncertainty and doubt plagued him. If there was one thing Marcus had taught him, self-doubt was more deadly than any enemy and would cut deeper than any blade. "We live and die by the blade." The thought cleared his mind, giving him comfort to focus on what lied ahead. The only things he could rely on now were his blades and the skills that kept him alive this long. He would use them mercilessly to get what he needed.
Whatever that may be.
Thanks to my amazing beta-readers, Adonna2424 and Canwewrite.
Thank you all for commenting, favs and follows, it means very much to me.
