JACE
Lying together in bed late one night, snuggling after a passionate interlude and lost in thought, Jace felt a sense of pride and awe at the way his life had changed over the years. At the forefront of everything was his love for Liliana and gratitude for having her back. It had been too long since he had been overwhelmed by his thoughts of her—returning to Ravnica, to the Gatewatch and his work, gave him important work to do and reunited him with friends, but it had also begun the gradual decline in that perfect union he had felt with Liliana since finding her alive and teaching at Strixhaven. They had managed to hold themselves together for a time, despite the external pressures, distractions, and duties that continuously inserted themselves into their lives. But then the miscarriage—of a pregnancy he hadn't even known about—had finally blown it all apart.
For weeks, they had both buried themselves; had returned to their old habits and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Once they had finally stopped hiding from themselves and each other, and had taken the steps to open up and talk through their shared loss, things were returning to normal between them and Jace sensed they had taken an important turn in their relationship that would ultimately strengthen them going forward. And, indeed, they had grown closer. It was a relief, not to be fighting and bickering and avoiding each other all the time, and for no good reason.
This, he thought. This is how it's supposed to be.
Holding her close, comforted by the warmth of her body, he breathed deeply and reached out with his mind. She let him in without even a hint of resistance. He found she was equally comforted by his warmth and listening to his heart. Much to his relief and pride, he knew that she felt safe and secure in his arms—Liliana Vess, the powerful and much-feared necromancer, wanted and needed him as much as he wanted and needed her.
He gave her a squeeze and she raised her head to examine his face. Then, with a faint smile, her voice rose softly, "I like that we don't have to hide anything anymore."
"From the others, you mean," he replied, already knowing the answer.
She hummed an affirmative and inhaled deeply, moving her leg to rest across him beneath the thick blanket. A fire was crackling in the fireplace, but it was still a cold night. He never cared much for being cold, but he found that he was starting to like cold nights. He smiled and gave her another squeeze.
"Do you remember that night on Amonkhet?" she asked suddenly, her tone mischievous.
Now he hummed. He knew which night she was referring to, because it was the only night on Amonkhet that would warrant remembering. They had been given two rooms to share between the five of them: Jace, Liliana, Chandra, Nissa, and Gideon. Naturally, Liliana had claimed one of the rooms for herself, leaving the other four to share a room with only three beds. Gideon, being the noble and self-sacrificing man he always was, had chosen to sleep in a corner while the other three each had a bed of their own….
On the night in question, Jace had been unable to sleep, while Chandra and Gideon both snored loudly from two different ends of the room. He sat up on his bed and poured himself drink after drink, until his lips tingled and his mind grew fuzzy. He was still angry with Liliana for her selfishness—she could have shared her room with at least one of the others. Not that Jace expected it to be him, even if he would have liked it to be…
No, he thought firmly, rubbing his face as if he could rub away the thoughts of his erstwhile girlfriend and on-again-off-again lover. He hated that he still wanted her, even after all her conniving and self-serving behavior! Nevertheless, before he could stop himself, he found himself reaching out with his mind.
Liliana?
Yes…? came the reply.
Are you asleep?
A pause; then the usual sarcasm to follow: Would I be answering you if I was?
Jace set his jaw. I knew this was a mistake.
Still, she pressed back. If you want to talk, why don't just come to my room? It would be much easier…
He knew better. Damn it. He knew better, and yet he still found himself slipping out of his shared room and going to the room next door. He tried the door.
It's locked. Everything was telling him to stop and go back to his room. He would blame the beer for what he projected next. Can you…come open it?
Oh, please, came her reply. I know you could open it, if you really wanted to.
Stop. Go back now. You shouldn't be doing this.
Yeah, but it doesn't feel right. I don't…do things like that anymore.
Break into women's rooms?
No, I…would never. He sighed and rubbed his face. Of course, he was referring to his dishonest past of making a living off other people's secrets and the occasional break-in to acquire something sought after by a client. You know what I mean.
I give you permission. But if you don't want to…
He groaned and, against his better judgment, used telekinesis to lift the pins inside the lock. When he opened the door and stepped inside, he found her sitting up in bed, her knees drawn up with an open book on her lap and a cup in her hand—probably wine, as usual. He knew she liked strong, sweet drinks, typically.
She was dressed in a loose linen gown that resembled what many of the women wore in the finer parts of the city. She had always had her own sense of style, to be sure, but she also enjoyed trying out the fashions of whatever plane they visited. He couldn't deny she looked good in the pure white linen dress that draped loosely over her shoulders. Even were he not heavy-laden with drink, she would look good.
He sucked in his breath. Turn. Around. Now.
She set her book on the nightstand and met his gaze with a satisfied smile as he closed the door and stepped toward her. Just this once, he told himself, like any good addict. But even if he always felt ashamed of himself the next morning, for the night he would surrender to bliss….
Thinking back to that night, Jace shook his head and sighed. "I think Gideon figured it out, even though I went back to my room afterward. He was so sour with me all the next day. You were too loud."
"You were too good."
He grinned. "I've always had a weak spot for you. I always denied it, but everybody always knew."
Liliana pressed her lips to his bare chest and cozied up to him. "I've had my own share of being called weak for loving you. But I don't care what anyone else thinks."
"You usually don't," he teased, straining to look down at her.
"True," she conceded. Then she pulled herself up to kiss him. Then, meeting his gaze, she whispered, "I do love you, you know. I always have—despite my better judgment."
"You must have pulled that right from my mind," he responded, looking at her with a raised brow.
"I guess we're even, then," she said, climbing over him. Then she bent over him for another kiss and when she tried to pull away he held her to him, prolonging the kiss until she started giggling.
When she sat up again, he admired her form. "I don't deserve this."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Oh, it is," he replied, holding her hands and lacing his fingers through hers. Then, with a mischievous grin, he pulled her down for another kiss. Everything was definitely back to normal.
ARLINN
It was always reasonable to assume Jace was in his sanctum. Whenever anyone was looking for him that would be the place to start, so when Arlinn went searching for him and found he was not there, it came as a surprise. Even more surprising was that she found his wife there, instead.
The necromancer was reclining with her boots up on his desk, a book in her lap. Her piercing violet eyes rose from the book the moment Arlinn entered. With the hint of a smirk, Liliana casually inquired, "Yes?"
"Is…Jace not here?"
Gently clearing her throat, Liliana closed the book and sat up with her feet on the floor, all in one fluid motion. Then, setting the book on the desk and rising from the chair, she answered, "He went out."
"Out?"
"Yes, out. You do understand the meaning of the word, I presume?"
Arlinn sighed. The necromancer was not easy to get along with, that was for sure. She was still waiting to see this warm, gentle side she had heard so much about.
Before Arlinn could think of a reply, she heard Liliana sigh heavily. "My, you are slow. He went to see an…old friend. Ral Zarek. I presume you've heard of him?"
"No," Arlinn managed, hesitantly.
Raising her eyes, Liliana chuckled in what Arlinn took as a patronizing tone. "You would have fought alongside him in the War of the Spark." She waited, and when Arlinn still didn't register any recognition, she went on, "Guildmaster of the Izzet League? Infamous Storm Mage—always wears that hideous contraption on his back? Does none of this ring a bell?"
Suddenly, Arlinn remembered seeing him commanding the elements and fighting alongside many of the others to defeat Bolas…and Liliana. "Oh, him. Yes, I remember him. I also remember your role in the War of the Spark, in case you've forgotten all the damage and loss of life you caused."
For only a moment, pain, regret, and sorrow flashed in the necromancer's violet eyes. Then it was gone in a flash, and she took on an air of amused nonchalance. "My, my—the doggy does have a bite."
Arlinn narrowed her eyes at the necromancer and finally lost her temper. "Why are you always so rude?"
Liliana chuckled, while Arlinn continued, "Weren't you raised in a noble household in…Dominaria or something? Since I'm only a 'doggy', I shouldn't be the one to remind you ladies are supposed to be polite."
The necromancer raised her brows and tilted her head in response, and said, "Touché. You're more impressive than you look."
"I'll assume that's your attempt at a compliment," Arlinn said coldly.
To that, Liliana only smiled. A part of Arlinn wanted to transform into her beast form and tear the smirk off the necromancer's face—literally. She managed to maintain her cool, however, and said, "Look, everyone tells me there's this good, kind person beneath your outward show of…whatever this is…but I'm having a really hard time believing them. If it wasn't for the fact I've worked closely with many of them, I would think them fools for trusting in you. I don't understand where all this contempt of yours is coming from—I barely know you, I've never done anything to you. And we're supposed to be on the same side."
For the first time, there was a visible crack in the necromancer's façade. Her smile faded and her gaze fell as she turned her face to the side. Was she actually ashamed, or was she just playing another role?
"You're right," she said quietly. Then she met Arlinn's gaze. "I'm not used to working on a team; not used to having anyone on my side—not really, anyway. Even now, navigating my place here… I know what everyone thinks of me. You're not the only one who doesn't trust me." She sniffed, a wry smile turning up her lips. "I'm used to that by now—used to being an outsider. Untouchable. Disposable."
"Aren't you the one usually doing the using and disposing?" Arlinn asked pointedly.
The necromancer winced. Then she looked up again, and said, "It's a dog-eat-dog world. You of all people should know that."
"Dogs—wolves work in a team. A pack. They aren't in it for themselves."
"I guess I've always been more of a lone-wolf, then."
Frustrated with her caustic tone, Arlinn asked, "Who hurt you?"
Liliana visibly startled and for the first time seemed to have nothing to say. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled with tears before she looked away. Arlinn noticed a slight tremble in her form. Finally, the necromancer raised her head in false pride, and said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Clearly, someone hurt you. Someone way back in your childhood or young adulthood or something… You act like a wounded tiger. A child, really. I've heard you're older than me, yet you act like a surly adolescent, at best. A woman of your age ought to be filled with wisdom and patience, not the components of teenaged rebellion."
The necromancer's gaze turned cold, her jaw tensed, and her nostrils flared. Then her eyes began to glow and her pale skin began to show with those strange purple etchings Arlinn remembered seeing on her during the War of the Spark. Despite the glow, a shadow seemed to come over her, and Arlinn prepared for a fight. Then it all faded back to normal and Arlinn saw the defeated look in the necromancer's eyes, which were filled with tears. It was that which came as more of a shock to Arlinn than anything that previously happened.
"I'm…sorry," Liliana murmured. Then she fell silent and cast her gaze to the floor, unmoving. "You're right. You're right and I'm sorry."
Her cheeks flushed again and Arlinn noticed a tear drop to the floor. She moved to leave, but Arlinn said, "Wait."
Liliana froze in place, and Arlinn cautiously stepped toward her. "For what it's worth…Jace, Chandra, Jaya, and Teferi always stand up for you whenever anyone questions your loyalty. Vehemently. No matter what anyone says, they always come to your defense. It's impressive, actually. Their loyalty to a woman who has a long history of betrayal."
She paused, rethinking her choice of words. She wanted to make peace, not make the gap between them wider. "They care about you a great deal and…I'd like to see—to get to know the woman they're always talking about. I won't lie—when I look at you, I still see you leading an endless army of Eternals—but I know you were only doing Bolas's bidding and that you didn't have much of a choice. I know there's a great deal more to you than anything I've seen. And…even if we can never be friends…I want to give you a fair chance. And I'll hope you will do the same for me. Can we…start over?"
She held out her hand toward the necromancer, who glanced back at the outstretched hand suspiciously. Then, taking a deep breath, Liliana turned only just enough to take Arlinn's hand. Before she could pull away, Arlinn tightened her grip, and said, "Hi. I'm Arlinn Kord. You must be Liliana Vess. I've heard so many great things about you."
Probably despite her own resistance, a small laugh escaped before Liliana could stop it. She met Arlinn's gaze from the corner of her eye and Arlinn smiled.
"I'm not doing this," Liliana said firmly. "I'm not playing along."
"You don't have to," said Arlinn. "It's enough that I got you to laugh—certainly no easy feat. I take that as an incredible accomplishment."
"You'd be surprised," Liliana said. "I consider myself to have a very developed sense of humor."
"Yet, you still laughed at a really bad dog joke."
Again, the necromancer was unable to hold back another laugh.
Arlinn smiled broadly and held up her fingers. "That's twice."
"Don't let it go to your head," said Liliana, looking away. Then she took a deep breath, and said, "Well, anyway, Jace isn't here. So, unless there's something I can help you with…"
"Yes, of course," said Arlinn, taking the hint and heading toward the exit. Pausing halfway to the door, she stopped and turned back to Liliana, who was settling back in at Jace's desk. "If you ever want to…see Innistrad again…I'd be happy to take you. I mean, a group of us together could go. After all, a lady should have an entourage and all that, right?"
Liliana looked up from the book in her lap and almost smiled. "Don't push it—I'm not laughing this time."
"Can't blame a girl for trying," said Arlinn with a shrug.
"But yes," said Liliana. "Maybe sometime. I would like to see what they've done with the place."
Arlinn smiled. "Okay then. When the whole world is not about to end, we'll all go. I think you'll be happy to see that your manor is still there—although, I think it's been overrun by vampires and been renamed."
"That's a pity. Oh well. You can always help me rid the place of them, if you're ever looking for something to do. A good dog is always ready for a fight."
"Uh, right," said Arlinn, not too keen on yet again being the target of the necromancer's acerbic wit. She would think Liliana was trying to be hurtful, if she hadn't seen her use that same mocking wit against her friends and even her husband.
Liliana waggled her fingers in a playfully dismissive wave and Arlinn decided not to linger. She heaved a sigh on her way out, unsure whether or not to feel insulted. Two steps forward, one step back…
NISSA
Sitting cross-legged in the shade of one of the trees on Jace's rooftop, Nissa was grateful he had taken some tips from their time on the plane of Kaladesh, where rooftop gardens were fairly commonplace in the capital city's residential neighborhoods. It was nowhere near as big and lush as the ones in Ghirapur, but it was something. Nissa had noticed a few new planters had appeared since she returned to Ravnica and she meant to thank Jace for his consideration, but at the same time she knew he was busy and she didn't want to bother him if it wasn't for something important.
She was taking a lot more time alone on the rooftop in the past week, in order to prepare herself for another reconnaissance mission on Lorwyn. The last time she was there, she had met with some of the elves and other sapient species on the plane, both to warn them of the impending invasion so that they might prepare, and to seek any knowledge they might have acquired of their own about the strange visitors that had been making appearances more and more frequently. She had promised them the aid of the Gatewatch, after explaining who and what they were, and now that she had Jace's blessing to represent the Gatewatch in an official capacity, she was returning to take part in a ceremony that would cement the alliance. Chandra and Ajani were going to accompany her on this mission.
Gazing out across the city's sharp, pointed rooftops, Nissa focused on the endless blue sky beyond and began to let all the noise of the city fade into a dull hum that she could almost ignore. This was the first step in letting go, so that she could meditate. Just when she had almost achieved that much-needed sense of inner calm, the sharp click of a door opening made her ears twitch. She turned around and groaned. It was Liliana.
Nissa couldn't help but feel more than mildly annoyed that she had to increasingly share her sacred space with the necromancer. For a death mage, Liliana seemed to have a strange attraction to the living natural world. She only resented Liliana more when she realized maybe it was only for his wife that Jace had added to the foliage in his rooftop garden. Gods knew, he never visited it, preferring to remain absorbed in his sanctum instead.
Seeming not to notice her—or deliberately ignoring her—Liliana strolled to the balustrade overlooking the plaza below. Thinking perhaps she could slip away unnoticed, Nissa carefully rose and was about to head for the door, when the necromancer's soft, feminine voice rose above the noise of the city.
"It's not easy being trapped."
Nissa stopped, letting one of her ears fold back to listen and wondering, for a moment, if Liliana was speaking to herself. But then she turned to face the elf and went on.
"I know how you feel here. It never bothered me before, so I didn't understand, but now I get it—why the city bothers you. It's like this house for me—you feel smothered. Cut off from everything. A prisoner without hope of release or escape."
Although she hated to admit it, Liliana was right. That was exactly what Nissa felt there, and why she was all too eager to find every excuse to leave Ravnica for another plane—almost any other plane was better than the endless stone. Not to mention the choking smog that occasionally drifted into Jace's neighborhood, from one of the more industrial districts. Still, she was not about to tell Liliana she was right about anything.
With a sad smile, Liliana walked to one of the new planters and gently touched one of the roses that were in full bloom there. Terrified that she was about to drain the flower of its essence, Nissa stepped forward, but stopped abruptly when Liliana leaned in to inhale the rose's scent. Then she turned toward Nissa, and said, "Roses have always been one of my favorites."
So, it was for her that Jace had them installed. Nissa resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"I relate to them, in a way—pretty to look at, but not easy to get close to." She waited, and when Nissa didn't say anything, explained, "You know, the thorns and all that."
When Nissa still didn't say anything, Liliana heaved a sigh and ran her fingers down the stem. Her eyes squinted when her fingers ran over the thorns, but she remained otherwise stoic, even as she pulled her hand away to examine the blood that had begun to seep from small cuts on her fingertips.
Nissa remained disinterested. She refused to give Liliana the satisfaction of being shocked.
Dabbing at her fingers with a handkerchief, Liliana smiled and looked at Nissa. "I hope you like the new additions to my garden."
Her garden? Nissa was fuming right about then. Her fist clenched and it took all of her strength not to lash out at the self-absorbed and entitled necromancer.
"I'm thinking jasmine and gardenias might be among the next additions," Liliana mused. "They smell amazing. I wish I could get lilacs here, but they don't have them on Ravnica, so I'll have to have them brought here from Dominaria. Of course, I had to get the jasmine from Kaladesh. That wasn't cheap, but I'd say it was worth it—don't you agree?"
"You were the one to add to the garden?"
"Of course," said Liliana, as if it was obvious. Then she chuckled. "Wait, you thought Jace was responsible for this? I mean, sure, he's the one who started the whole thing, but he let it go. Actually, he forgot about it until I said something. I told him I was going to fix it up. We needed a touch of nature here, after all—especially when I can't exactly go for a stroll in the garden district." She paused and began to caress one of the roses, running her fingertips over the soft, crimson petals. "Since I've been under house arrest, this has become my sanctuary."
That does it, Nissa thought bitterly. How dare she claim my sanctuary as her own!
She narrowed her eyes at the rose in Liliana's hand—a perfect bloom. Finally, Nissa couldn't take another moment of the necromancer's delighting in her sacred space and trying to claim it as her own. Without thinking, Nissa summoned just enough black mana to drain the life of the entire branch on which that one rose grew. The necromancer watched the flower as it withered in her hand, and Nissa hoped she would think it was her own fault, her own poisoned touch that had killed it. Instead, Liliana raised her brow and looked at Nissa with a dark smile.
"Impressive. I always knew you had it in you."
Nissa suddenly felt ashamed of herself. Her cheeks grew hot and she turned her gaze down at her feet. Forcing back tears, she said, "You made me do it."
"I had nothing to do with it," said Liliana, cracking off the dead branch and looking closely at the dead rose. She hummed. "There is a strange beauty in death, you have to admit."
Then she reached out with the dead branch over the balustrade and let it drop, careless that it could fall on any person who might be walking in the street below.
She crossed her arms and leaned back against the balustrade. An enigmatic smile graced her lips. It made Nissa uncomfortable, so the elf finally looked away once again. She didn't even want to ponder what the necromancer was thinking, but she could easily have guessed. She didn't need to, though, because Liliana was on a roll.
"So, does this mean you're finally ready to face it?"
Nissa looked up. "Face what?"
"What you've been hiding from all these years. Are you ready to embrace your darkness?"
"I am not dark," Nissa insisted. Her face felt warm again. Then, turning away, she repeated, "I am not dark."
She heard the rustle of Liliana's skirts, and then the necromancer was standing behind her. Then her icy breath came to Nissa's ear, as she whispered, "You cannot hide your darkness from me. I am the Queen of Darkness. Everyone else may be blind to it, but I see it as clearly as the full moons on a clear night."
"Stop it!" Nissa pulled away and turned to glare at her. "I am not dark. I am an elementalist. I bring life, not death."
"Life cannot exist without death," Liliana said simply, "or death without life. Being a master of both is the highest accomplishment. You should embrace your natural talent, rather than suppress it."
"You know nothing about me!" Nissa growled, turning to leave. She knew, deep down, that Liliana was right. She had used black mana before—but she reasoned it was only because it was absolutely necessary. She had used it on Zendikar, when she was fighting to save it from the Roil that had threatened to claim all life on the plane. She had used it a couple of other times before, but only when forced to use it—never really by choice.