JACE

Jace 'walked right into Liliana's office and was surprised to find her there. She was casually reclined in her plush velvet chair, her legs crossed at the knee, holding a full cup of wine. There was an empty bottle on her desk. He didn't see a second cup anywhere nearby.

A dark smile slowly spread across her lips, stained red from the wine in her cup. "Back so soon? There's no way you've hunted down the whole gang by now."

"No," he confirmed. "Just Chandra and Nissa. They were easy to find. I knew right where to look."

"It took you two weeks to find them where you knew they would be?"

"No. I didn't go looking for them right away. First, I wanted to be sure of our suspicions."

Liliana sat up and placed her glass on the desk. "Did you find him?"

"I found traces of him. Where he is now, I don't know. But it's clear from reading a few Phyrexian minds that he's been there several times, and recently."

"Then it's real. This is really happening." Her violet eyes hardened with resignation. After a pause, she admitted, "I was hoping you would return to tell me it was all nothing. We were just being paranoid."

He nodded, stepping closer as he said, "I was hoping the same. That's why I went looking before approaching the others. I didn't want to call them to action over a hunch. I had to find something to make it real. I wish I hadn't."

Liliana squinted her eyes at him, and suddenly her tone changed. "Are you…sunburned?"

At first, Jace was confused—probably more by the change of subject than the question itself. Then he said, "I'll…tell you about that later."

She scrutinized him with a suspicious gaze. "So, if you haven't finished gathering the others, why are you here?"

"Am I unwelcome?" His eyes scanned for another cup, but again saw only the one.

"Not at all." Then, seeming to know what he was thinking, she added, "My bed has been cold since you left. I miss having a warm body beside me."

Jace would have lost his composure and smiled, were he not concerned. "Should you be drinking that much?"

She looked at the empty bottle and shrugged. "I've had a rough day. And I was bored."

She got up and sauntered over to him with a smile. "But now you're here," and she slid her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. He wondered if it was entirely due to her intention to seduce him, or if it was also because she was drunk and needed support.

"Why don't I help you to your room?"

"That sounds fabulous," she said with a wink.

"I don't mean it that way, Lili," he said, as he began helping her toward the bedroom. "I think you've had too much to drink."

She stopped and glared at him with a swagger. "Since when has that stopped us? How many bottles of wine have we shared, before falling into drunken ecstasy?"

"Many. But I haven't had any wine, so I don't think I should…"

Now, she laughed and tilted her head. "What—take advantage of me? As if I don't know what I'm doing? That's really cute, Cloak Boy."

Then she heaved a sigh and began to walk, stumbling a bit. Jace moved to catch her, but she managed to steady herself and held out her hand. "As you can see, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself. And I'm fully aware of what I'm doing."

She stepped close to him and whispered in his ear. He could feel her breath on his skin and the hair on the back of his neck raised. "I want you, Jace. I've missed you… And you know how I can be with too much wine…"

Despite himself he grinned, and his cheeks burned. "Yes."

"But I get it," she continued, pulling away with a shrug. "If you're not in the mood…"

"Well, wait a minute," he protested. When she smiled, he realized she was only teasing. Nevertheless, he went on, "Let's just…lay in bed together and hold each other. I've missed the warmth of your body next to mine, as well."

She smiled faintly. "And then?"

"And then," he answered, lowering his voice as he stepped close and slid his arms around her waist, "we see what happens."

"I like the way that sounds," she whispered breathlessly. Then she brushed her lips across his own, causing him to pull her into a full-fledged kiss. Soon afterward, they shut themselves away and went to bed.

LILIANA

The next morning, as they enjoyed a light breakfast at a table by the window in her bedroom, Liliana asked, "So, how are Nissa and Chandra these days? Have they finally stopped beating around the burning bush?"

Jace wrinkled his brow. Then he gasped in understanding. "Oh, you mean…?"

"Of course. Everyone who spent enough time around those two could not have helped but notice. The tension between them was worse than ours, at times."

"Was it?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Maybe not. I always thought so. Maybe I was wrong."

"Well, actually…they hadn't seen each other since…Ravnica."

"Really? That seems so…unexpected. I would have thought…"

"It's a long story," he said with a sigh. "But I think they're…patching things up. When I returned to Ravnica before coming here, I left them together. They seemed happy. They were huddled together, talking quietly. They were holding hands. I think things are finally falling into place for them."

"I'm glad," Liliana smiled. Then, lifting her mimosa, "To stoking the embers."

Jace lifted his cup. "To rekindling old flames."

They tapped their cups together and took sips. Then they fell into a brief silence, before Liliana said, "You know, you never told me how you got that sunburn… If it is a sunburn."

His face turned even more red, making the white of his tattoos stand out more. He almost choked on a piece of toast but managed to swallow before washing it down with a swig of honeyed wine, as she said, "I'll need to put some aloe on that, if you'll let me."

Then he said, "Well, it's definitely not a sunburn."

"I thought as much," she said, spreading strawberry jam on a slice of buttered toast. She placed the knife on the table and sat down the toast, before dabbing her fingers on a napkin. "I take it you told her about me?"

Jace smiled awkwardly. "How did you know?"

She gave him a look. "I know Chandra almost as well as you. We were once very close."

"I know," he said, watching her take a bite of toast. It made him think of her teeth on his flesh and he struggled to remain focused. "I remember."

She finished chewing, carefully swallowed, and then said, "So, I take it she didn't handle it well."

"Not at first, no. I thought she might roast me alive on the spot, actually. I don't know what angered her more—the fact that I didn't tell her until we were on Zendikar, or…"

"The fact that I'm alive at all."

He said nothing, but his sheepish expression confirmed her suspicion.

"Does she know where to find me?"

"No," he replied firmly. "That's why I went to Ravnica before returning here. I wasn't about to lead them to you."

"So, you told her and Nissa. Which one took it worse, I wonder? Nissa's never been one to express herself… And that's why I trust her even less."

"Less than she trusts you…? I doubt it."

Liliana smiled. "Lovely words of encouragement, darling. Definitely makes one feel safe and loved."

He reached across the table and took her hands. When she tried to pull away, he held them firmly. "Lili, I promise you I won't let them know where you are until I know for sure they pose no threat to you."

"And do they? Pose a threat?"

Jace sat back and sighed, dropping his hands into his lap. "I don't know. I mean, I calmed them down—well, Chandra. I think I got them to see the benefit to having you still with us, but until I know for sure… I won't put you in harm's way."

"They still blame me."

He didn't reply. Then she met his gaze again and smiled sadly. "Not that I blame them. I still blame me."

"Darling, we've talked about this," said Jace, reaching out for her hands again. She pulled them away before he could grab them. He sighed and instead began fidgeting with his napkin. He always did that.

"Of course. And I'm…still working on it." She drew in a breath and released it slowly. "If I'm struggling to understand and forgive myself, I can only imagine how hard that must be…for them. In fact, I'm surprised you've so readily forgiven me."

"Like I said, I've had years to think it all through. And I explained everything to them. They seemed to understand. To accept it. Of course, Chandra has heard it all before, but I think the shock of learning you are still alive triggered all those emotions. All those memories she's…kept buried for so long."

Liliana looked down at her hands, resting on the napkin folded neatly in her lap. "Jace, I can't come with you. You do know that, right?"

"What? Of course, you can. Lili, we're gonna need you."

She held up a hand, and continued, "I can't come, but I've found two people who can take my place. You will find they are more than sufficient to replace me. One of them alone is a more powerful planeswalker than even I am. At least, she's well on her way there. I suppose we're about equal now. But I know that won't last forever. Before long, she'll have far surpassed even me."

Jace held up a finger. "Okay, well, we're not finished discussing your involvement. You will come with. I won't leave until you've agreed to it."

She was about to object, but then he went on, "But, these other planeswalkers…? Have you talked to them? Are you sure they would even join us?"

"Well, I haven't had them swear an oath or anything. I thought it might be best for you to meet them first. But they're definitely interested. And they'd be a true asset."

"Asset? If there's more than one…"

"They're a packaged deal." His puzzled expression made her smile. After a moment of satisfaction, she explained, "Twins. Two bodies; one spark."

Jace started. "They share a spark?"

She smiled.

"That's…incredible!"

She could see his mind working. It would not be long before he would be researching this phenomenon. He was adorable with his mind abuzz. Her heart ached. Why did it hurt to love someone so much?

Such a fine line between pain and pleasure…

Jace's excited voice broke through her musing. "Are they your students?"

"They were, for a couple years." She drummed her fingers on the table. "But they're Prismari, so eventually they moved on to taking only Prismari based courses."

"I…don't know what that means."

"Prismari, the college they're a part of, centers on blue and red mana. Witherbloom centers on black and green, so once they reached higher level courses, they naturally narrowed their focus accordingly. I only had them for courses in general magics, but we've remained…close."

"Because they're planeswalkers."

She nodded. "That, yes. And they were imperative to putting down a dangerous insurrection during their first year at the university. Without them, in fact, none of this would be here."

"The…Oriq?"

He must have remembered that from reading her mind, back when he first discovered her at Strixhaven. It seemed so long ago now, though it had still only been a few weeks. She smiled. "You do have a remarkably keen memory."

"It kind of goes with being a mind mage," he replied playfully. Then he said, "So, who are these prodigies?"

"Rowan and Will Kenrith; heirs to the throne of Eldraine." She paused. "Have you ever been…?"

"To Eldraine? No. I've heard of it, but that's about the extent of my knowledge."

Without missing a beat, she continued, "They've been under my guardianship since I met their father and step-mother."

"You…met the king and queen of Eldraine? Are they planeswalkers?"

Liliana laughed. "No. I went to Eldraine, about a year or so ago. Rowan invited me to a celebration and, after hearing so much about her favorite professor, the High King was eager to meet me."

"Was that when you were still going by…?"

"Professor Onyx. No, I was using my real name by then."

He raised a brow. "Really? Had he ever heard of Liliana Vess?"

"Thankfully, no. Of course, then their other guardian, some planeswalker called Kasmina, remembered me from Ravnica and…well, let's just say it took a great deal of persuasion on Rowan and Will's part to exonerate me. Since that day, Kasmina and I have…come to an understanding."

He looked at her suspiciously. "What…kind of an understanding?"

"She's still fully alive, if that's what you're asking."

"No one died, huh?" He seemed surprised.

Liliana looked away and began smoothing out the tablecloth in front of her. "I did…vanquish one of her owls. I brought it back, though. Of course, she didn't want it anymore, but I did apologize. I mean, if she hadn't sent the thing at me, shrieking like a banshee, I wouldn't have done it. What was I to do? I had to defend myself."

"You killed…one of her owls. And turned it into a zombie."

"You're a quick study," she said, leaning back in her chair with a smirk. Then she mused, "I tried using it as a messenger, so I wouldn't have to walk all the way across campus to deliver messages to students and other faculty. But" she sighed, "necromancy is still a gravely misunderstood art form here—no pun intended."

Jace almost smiled. Then Liliana shrugged. "Sadly, I had to send it away." Then she indicated a shelf across the room with her eyes and a nod of her head. "I kept it's skeleton, though. Such a fascinating specimen."

The grimace on his face amused her. Then he pushed his plate away and wiped his fingers on a napkin. "Well, I believe I've had enough breakfast."

She got up as he rose from the table, and asked, "Will you be off? I had hoped you would stay a bit longer…"

"I'm not leaving until this afternoon, as long as I'm welcome to stay. I don't want to keep you from anything important…"

"I don't have any classes today, so I'm all yours."

"All mine, huh? I never thought you'd be anyone's…anything."

She smiled. "Let's just say you're the exception."

He slid his arms around her waist, and said, "Can I admit that makes me feel a great deal of pride?"

"Don't let your ego get too grand, or I might just have to stick it with a pin," she teased, with a tap on the tip of his nose.

Gazing into her eyes, he said, "I do hope Chandra and Nissa can be as happy as we are someday."

"Are we happy, love?"

"Are we not?"

"You tell me. I mean, I think we are. But then…I've grown rather used to the fickle nature of happiness over the centuries."

He leaned in for a kiss. She breathed in his scent and enjoyed the taste of his lips, still sweet with honey.

"I'm happy," said Jace, leaning his forehead against hers. "Despite everything that's wrong in the Multiverse, at least one thing has been turned right."

"Two, if there's any hope for Nissa and Chandra."

"All the more reason to be happy, even if it's only fleeting. I want to enjoy every moment I have left with you, before…"

"We die?"

"Well, I mean…I'm hoping we don't."

Liliana chuckled. "We're all hoping we don't, but it's a definite possibility. For once, I can actually think of something worse than death. Promise me, if I'm captured alive by Tezzeret or the Phyrexians, you'll put me out of my misery."

"If you'll promise me the same courtesy."

"Gladly," she said. Then she pressed her lips to his and ran her fingers through his hair. With a suggestive gaze, she asked, "Now, shall we seal the deal?"

He smiled devilishly and pressed her hand to his lips.

CHANDRA

It had been years since the last time Chandra practiced Nissa's form of meditation, so she was surprised it came back to her so easily. She and Nissa had already spent a couple nights together, healing old wounds and making up for lost time. Now they sat facing each other by the bank of a river on Zendikar, legs folded like pretzels and knees touching, their foreheads pressed together in a moment of peaceful unity. Chandra had never felt more at ease than she did at that moment, and she wondered how she could ever think leaving Nissa was a good idea.

Nissa's gentle fingers caressed her cheek and Chandra opened her eyes to meet her gaze. She smiled. "If there's anything good about this whole Tezzeret-Phyrexian thing, it's that it brought me back to you."

"I'm grateful, too," said Nissa. Then she leaned in with a kiss. Her lips were so soft as they brushed across Chandra's own. It sent chills up Chandra's spine, and she shivered. They were the pleasant kind of chills, though. The kind Chandra hadn't felt with anyone else.

"I wish we could stay here forever," said Chandra. "I mean, not forever, forever. I'd get bored staying in one place for too long. But you're happy here."

"Yes," said Nissa. She fell silent—not that this was anything unusual. She was normally silent. But then she said, "I will go with you…sometimes. When you want to go."

"And sometimes you'll stay here?"

Nissa nodded. Chandra smiled faintly. She could accept that. "I won't push you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. But after all these years…I can't imagine life without you. I was stupid, Nissa. I didn't understand my own feelings, y'know? Like, I guess I got confused. I thought I was doing the right thing and made up a pretty lousy excuse. But it was my way of trying to let you go, y'know? Like a butterfly or…something. I hope you know what I mean, because I know I'm not making a lot of sense right now."

Nissa's fingers touched Chandra's lips. When Chandra met her gaze, Nissa was smiling with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "I understand."

Chandra enclosed Nissa's hand within her own. "You always do. Better than anyone else."

She snickered, then added, "Even better than Jace, and he's a mind mage!"

Nissa smiled. "I love you, Chandra."

Chandra's heart fluttered and she almost fell over. She knew, obviously, especially after the last couple of nights they'd spent together. But hearing the words was something new; especially coming from Nissa.

"I…love you, too, Nissa."

She almost went off on a train-of-thought monologue but stopped herself when she realized Nissa was thinking carefully, like she always did when she had something to say.

When Nissa met her gaze, her eyes glistened with tears. "You are the only person I want to be with more than my elementals."

Chandra snorted. "I know, you like to be alone A LOT. So, it's a really big thing for you to want to be with me even sometimes."

She laughed and Nissa's lips parted into a full-toothed grin. Chandra reached out—carefully, as one might reach out to a cat—and took Nissa's face in her hands. "I'm honored to be the one. And…even though I like being around people a lot…there's no one I'd rather be with more than you. I guess our time away from each other was good, in that way."

Nissa looked puzzled.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," Chandra intoned.

Nissa still seemed confused.

Chandra tried another approach. "Our time apart gave us time to realize how much we mean to each other?"

Nissa thought about it then smiled and gave a single nod. "Yes. I think so, too."

Her smile faded, though, and she looked down at her hands in her lap. Chandra reached for her hands, and said, "Hey? You okay?"

A long silence followed. Nissa was thinking again. Chandra was learning to be patient.

"Do you think that…we can trust them?"

"Jace and Lili?"

After a single nod from Nissa, Chandra leaned back with her palms flat on the ground behind her for support. "I dunno. I mean, as smart as he is, Jace can sure be an idiot. Especially when it comes to Liliana."

She rolled her eyes. Nissa smiled and her shoulders raised, the way people move when they giggle. This made Chandra smile in turn.

Giving it some more thought, she finally said, "But I think… I mean, I'd like to think that this time, we can trust her. Because I don't think he'd make the same mistake twice. Or is this three times? I dunno. They have a weird history. I don't really get it, since neither one of them have ever been open about it. But I think this time Jace knows what he's talking about. I mean, it's always possible he's just…thinking without his brain again, if you know what I mean."

Nissa's brow wrinkled. Chandra sniffed amusement. "Never mind. I'll explain later."

Then she went on, "I mean, it's confusing…what happened on Ravnica. I really hated her then, y'know? Especially after…Gids."

She fell silent as a fresh wave of grief pierced her heart. "He was like a brother to me. When I was young and stupid, I got it confused and…thought I had other feelings for him. I guess a part of me did, but then I thought that's what I was supposed to feel, y'know?"

Nissa shook her head. Of course, she didn't know. How could she? She had never really had a social group to tell her how she should think and feel about things. Chandra was glad she didn't know what that was like. She gave a nod and smiled.

"Okay, well, one way or another I loved Gids almost as much as I love my mom. And not near as much as I love you. But losing him…it hurt real bad. It made me even more confused. And I think…I think I just wanted to pull away from everyone and everything that reminded me of him. Even…you.

"I just couldn't think through all that pain and anger," she continued, "at the helplessness…"

She paused and met Nissa's gaze. "Well, you know how I get."

Mischief danced in Nissa's green eyes. She smiled. Chandra was grateful to have someone who understood her so well. Even after years apart, Nissa still understood her better than anyone else. And somehow, loved her anyway. That seemed no small miracle, in Chandra's mind.

"So," she continued, "I hated Liliana for betraying us…for helping Bolas…and for Gids."

"What changed?" Nissa asked, with much effort.

Chandra met her gaze, for a moment wondering the same thing. Then she said, "I guess I realized it's what Gids wanted. She didn't kill him—Bolas did. Bolas was trying to kill her when she turned on him, and Jace explained it to me even when he still thought she was dead, that she was only helping Bolas because she was afraid to die. I mean, think about it, Nissa. You were there. We all saw what was happening to her when she finally made the right decision."

She shivered at the memory. Liliana wasn't a pyromancer, so why did her tattoos look like fire?

"I think Gids saw, too. He trusted her, even after everyone else—even after Jace had turned against her. And Gids may not have been the brains, but sometimes he saw things more clearly than Mr. Mind-Mage ever did. So, if he knew there was something in Liliana that was worth saving—worth sacrificing himself for…then there must be more to it than what either of us can see."

She paused to collect her thoughts. Finally, she said, "And in the end, if we're up against Tezzeret and the Phyrexians…I don't think we really have a choice. We need to take who we can get. Even Liliana wouldn't want what the Phyrexians have to offer."

She shivered again. Jace had shown her, too, before they came to Zendikar.

"Okay," said Nissa. Then, after a pause, "Okay, I trust you."

Chandra smiled. "Listen; if Liliana tries anything deceitful or self-serving, I'll be the first to make her pay. But for now, I think we need to do what we need to do to survive what Jace thinks is coming. So, we'll see what happens. And in the meantime, let's just enjoy this little bit of time we have before the storm."

Nissa nodded. Then she got up and took Chandra by the hand, helping her to rise. Smiling in her soft and gentle way, she said, "Let's enjoy this time. I have much to show you. Much has changed since the last time you were with Zendikar."