Author's Note: Hello! Again, sorry for the late update - I hope it's worth it. With summer so tantalizingly close, I'm hoping on getting a lot more done. Just another week! Thank you all so much for your patience and support!

I hadn't seen him since the kiss.

I wasn't worried, really. I had so many other things to keep me occupied - herbs to grind, liquids to boil, customers to tend to. A thousand little things seemed to fill my day until I collapsed exhausted in bed, tired but content. Not quite happy, not quite sad, but somewhere in-between. For the past week I'd been going through the motions, since there seemed to be so little else I could do. If I was idle, memories came. Saying goodbye to maman, seeing her in those dreaded black robes. The Orc's pale face, and shallow breathing. And the kiss.

I swore, putting a little more force than necessary into grinding nightshade. The smell rose sickly sweet and I sniffed, backing away and sighing. Of all things, that was what dominated my thoughts. Each time I imagined it, a familiar warmth bloomed in my belly, a shiver clambered up my back. I'd find myself thinking of those late nights with Bolor that seemed so long ago before trying to delve into my work again. I perused the list of potions and poisons Vicente had requested for the umpteenth time, tracing the letters idly. It was both disturbing and pleasing that I'd mastered the poisons he suggested.

Ground nightshade, steamed, the venom extracted…

Someone battered at the door.

I jerked around with a gasp, cursing as my mortar fell to the floor, leaving powdery residue along the stone. Who at this time…? Not them again, I prayed inwardly. Not another death. I dashed up the stairs from my basement. The knocking seemed to be growing weaker. I frowned and pulled the door open, eyes going wide as someone nearly collapsed onto me.

"Mum!" I gasped as I caught her, supporting her weight and trying to help her stand on her feet as she groaned. "Are you - "

"Stabbed. Bleeding to death. All over your nice rug," she added mournfully, dark eyes downcast. I followed her gaze and stiffened at the sight of a trail of blood, oozing off the end of her dress. She was shaking, and yet a weak smile curved her pale lip.

"Who the hell…" I hissed, half-carrying, half-dragging her inside. White-hot venom rose in me as I lay her face-down, gently as I could, and saw the stain of crimson on her white blouse.

"No time for that, darling, now. Just - fix it," she breathed, her cheek pressed against the floor. I winced and snatched my cloak from its hook, folding it and sliding it beneath her head. "Please."

"Yes." I nodded stiffly and knelt by her side, placing a hand on either side of her back. "I think - I think I can. I'll heal it and bandage it…" I closed my eyes and concentrated, exhaling slowly as magicka slipped from my fingers into her flesh, knitting muscle and sinew.

"Mm. Just like your father." Mum murmured. I bit my lip at sight of her face, pale and drawn, and brushed dark bangs from her eyes. "I need to go, sweet, as soon as you're done with me, or the traitor may follow…"

A knock on the door, gentler this time. We froze in unison, and met each other's gaze.

"He might break in." Mum's eyes were wide, lips parted. I moved my gaze down the blood trail along her back.

"Then I'd best welcome him." Something possessed me. Something bitter and hateful, protective and loving all at once. I wouldn't let maman be hurt again. I would slaughter whoever hurt her - I knelt and took her dagger before approaching the door, limbs taut, pulse racing, and pulled it open.

Lucien met my gaze.

"You," I spat. "You, I swear by all gods, if you did this I'll -"

"I had nothing to do with this. I brought her here, until she realized she forgot something," Lucien snapped and stepped past me, eyes blazing. He knelt by Abelle, raising a brow and presenting what he held - a bloodied scarf. Mum sighed, looking exhausted.

"Like hell," I breathed. I trusted him, had trusted him, but with my mother at risk… "Get away from her, get out of my house!"

"Dusty, stop." Mum groaned, getting on her hands and knees. She took the hand Lucien offered and stood, wincing. "It wasn't him, sweet."

"Do you know that?" I glared at her sharply, then at him, barely stopping myself from looking away at his furious gaze. "What the hell happened, then?"

"I don't remember very well. I was going to Fort Farrugut, and I came to with Lucien carrying me." I moved my gaze down his body, gritting my teeth at the even darker spots of blood on his black robes. "I asked him to get my scarf, to clean up blood, evidence - if the guards saw something and suspected…"

"What I suspect is that he didn't just find you - that's a bit too much of a coincidence after Gogron," I hissed. It was too much, to see her wounded, I needed someone to blame, someone…

"What I remember the last time we met, pet, was you saying yourself you didn't think me a traitor," Lucien barked, taking an ominous step towards me. "By Sithis, I've been loyal since before you were born and I will not have you question - "

"That is enough!" We both jerked, surprised by the sudden power in mum's voice. She eyed us both, holding the counter for support. "We won't get anywhere tearing out each other's throats. That's exactly what the traitor wants."

"She's right." Lucien made a sound of agreement before gazing at Abelle. "Why were you coming to the fort?"

"To warn you." Mum closed her eyes. I watched as she seemed to go limp and taut all at once, as though she had no strength left and yet she was pulled tight, like a puppet. "You have officially been declared a traitor. We are to capture or kill you on sight."

Silence. The room seemed to grow colder, as though a frost spell hovered in the air. Abelle gazed at Lucien sadly, his expression turned blank.

"Will you kill me then, Abelle? You are welcome to try."

"No, boy." He wrinkled his nose at the name, and she laughed weakly. "Firstly, I doubt I would survive the attempt, having taught you everything I know. Secondly, I don't believe you're the traitor."

"Then what?" I spoke, trying to keep my voice calm but a hint of fear creeping in. "What do we do?"

They exchanged glances. Lucien raised a brow, jaw set. "You are providing succour for a traitor. The Brotherhood will not allow it."

"But I won't allow them to kill my prize student." Mum smiled almost fondly, and I felt a flicker of - of jealousy? I didn't know how to place it, didn't dare, and dismissed the thought. "I will go with you. I will defend you. Your Silencer is seeking evidence of your innocence, correct?"

"Yes, has been for months. The trail grows stronger, he hopes he is close…" Lucien drifted off, dragging a gloved hand over his brow and hair. "I must find a safe harbour until my innocence is proven, until the real traitor can be found. There's a small farm North of Bruma, that has been abandoned for some time after the contract there was completed…"

"Then we have our destination, don't we?" Mum stood upright, slightly crouched - the wound must still hurt her, even healed. It scarred. I bit my lip as she came close, touching my cheek. "Sweetheart, be safe. No one but the Cheydinhal sanctuary and the Listener know of you, and they will never know we were here…"

"What?" I drew back. She wants…? "You think I'm staying? I'm coming with you!" The words spilled before I could stop them, and in truth I wouldn't have taken back if I could have. I was not going to let my mother die. Family, I thought as I gave a shuddering breath. "But this might be a trap, mum." I glared at Lucien. "Leading us off to some remote little farm…"

"I trust him. You'll just have to trust me. We have no time to waste." Mum gazed at me, suddenly cool and official. She looked at Lucien and smiled as he gave a small bow.

"I value your trust, Madame Abelle - Sister. Well?" He glanced at me, scowling. "Are you coming?"

I had no choice. Even if it would lead to both our deaths. I nodded dumbly.

"Then prepare yourself. We leave at once. We will meet you by the stables. If you are not there, we go alone." Lucien's voice was like ice even as his eyes burned. They left, leaving me in the dark, with one purpose.

Prepare.

Supplies. I stuffed my bag with herbs, bandages, rations of food as quickly as I could. And my dagger. I whirled around, moving behind the counter and snatching it from a shelf there where I kept it, attaching it to my belt. My dagger. The dagger that got me into all of this…

I fingered the cool metal before jerking myself from thought. Slipping on my boots, lacing my old, thick cloak, stepping out into the night. The streets were dead silent, clean of any trace of blood. Lucien had experience, after all, cleaning up such messes. I cursed, and walked a little faster to the stables.

Lucien stood by his mare, saddling her and stroking her side as she whinnied softly. Mum readied a little milky filly, pulling herself on and glancing at me, nodding her approval. Lucien looked up as well and scowled. "You're with me, on Shadowmere. I doubt that little beast Abelle calls a horse could handle you both."

"Fine." I grit my teeth and slipped my foot in a stirrup, cursing my height. A quiet laugh, so strange in all of this, sounded from mum as Lucien grabbed my waist and hoisted me up so I could sit before mounting as well, taking the reins with either of his arms encircling me. I shivered, not from the cold but from warmth - his warmth, being so close to him again…

"Let's go." Mum nodded at us and urged her horse onward, moving swiftly ahead of us into the darkness. I shivered still, giving a gasp as Lucien's horse abruptly took off and the world suddenly began to bleed past. We caught up to mum, and I snuck a glance, hoping my healing had done enough. Whatever pain she felt, she didn't show it - her expression was one of utter concentration, only her lips moving. Speaking - praying.

I almost wanted to join her. To plead to some great entity, to beg for mercy, for our lives and safety…

But I didn't know who to pray to.