For I Have Sinned

by enby-hawke

Malcolm Hawke, an elven somniari trapped in Kirkwall's Circle, stumbled upon Leandra Amell's dream in a meeting neither can forget. When a twist of fate has him performing at her betrothal ball, Leandra finds herself swept off her feet in the whirlwind romance she's always dreamed about, but will she be brave enough to take the leap or will she let Malcolm fall by himself?

34. For I Have Sinned

The crowd that had gathered for Malcolm's trial had started to depart for the two-hour break.

Malcolm hovered over Leandra nervously as she gathered her things. "You can't go. I forbid it!"

Leandra scoffed in amusement. She stared pointedly at his handcuffs. "How are you going to stop me, genius?"

Malcolm snarled, his golden eyes flashing. "Don't test me! I'll find a way!"

Jaheem placed a hand on Malcolm's shoulder, trying to assuage his apprehension. "I'll be with Leandra every step of the way."

Malcolm snorted derisively. "Like I can trust you to protect her!"

Jaheem thankfully didn't seem offended. "It's not like we're going into a battlefield."

Malcolm clenched his fists. "No, it's worse. She wants to go to Darktown!"

Jaheem's dark face paled a few shades. He glanced at Leandra. "I-Is that really where the evidence is?"

Leandra tucked some strands of silky black hair behind her ear, chuckling nervously. "Unfortunately…"

Malcolm's handcuffs jangled as he gestured at Leandra. "See? Talk some sense into her!"

Leandra bristled in annoyance. She hated being treated like a child. She threw up her hands. "Do we have a choice? You're about to be executed for murder!"

Malcolm scowled so deeply Leandra thought his face would crack. "I don't care about that! That's no reason for you to go crawling into a tiger's den!"

Leandra rolled her eyes. He would say that.

He grabbed her hands and held them, trembling in fear. With a low voice, he pleaded, "Leandra… I can't lose you, or our child…"

"And we can't lose you." Leandra cupped his cheek, and brought him in for a kiss, tasting her bitter coffee on his tongue. She could feel her parent's scowls behind her back, but she relished being able to kiss Malcolm out in the open.

Meredith cleared her throat grumpily. They jumped apart, as her cold blue eyes narrowed in a searing glower. "Hawke, it's time to go in your cell."

Malcolm's shoulders slumped. He threw a glare at Jaheem. "Better keep her safe. Or else."

Jaheem placed a hand over his heart and bowed his head. "I will. On my honor."

Meredith rolled her eyes and yanked Malcolm back. "Move your ass." His feet dragged as she practically carried him away.

Malcolm quickly disappeared around the corner.

Leandra sighed and turned to leave as well, only to find her mother ready to confront her. Bethann had her arms crossed and was tapping her heel.

"And where do you think you're going? You need to keep me informed."

Leandra feared her mother would start hovering. She knew no answer would satisfy the woman, so she tried to side-step around her. "Sorry, Mother. No time to explain. As you know, we're on a time crunch."

Bethann stepped in Leandra's way and snapped her fingers. "Simple, then. Senhel will take you there in no time."

Leandra bit her lip as she clenched her briefcase and purse tighter to her. "That won't be necessary. Lord Omenma's already escorting me."

Bethann sneered at Jaheem with new disdain. "It was a mistake to let you people into the city."

Leandra flinched, mortified about what her mother just said, but Jaheem only smiled serenely.

"Well, it's not like you people can stop us. Not when you need our resources so much," he grinned wryly at Lady Amell's annoyed expression. "Now, I hate to be rude, but Leandra's right. We can't spare any more time."

Jaheem took Leandra by the arm and led her away from her seething mother.

As they passed Leandra's father, he tried to flag her down with a frantic wave. "Sweetpea-"

But she interrupted him with a hand in his face. "Sorry, Daddy. I have work to do."

Jaheem shot a wary glance at a woman dressed in all black, who was texting someone on her phone, but Leandra didn't notice her at all.

They swiftly left the courtroom before Leandra's parents or anyone else could accost them again.

They managed to get through the main hallway when they ran into Mara, whose chest was heaving from running. She was clearly dressed for court, with a gray pencil skirt and a white blouse with long ruffled sleeves. Her short chestnut hair was freshly straightened.

Leandra's eyebrows shot up in surprise. With everything that happened she had forgotten that Mara was a witness.

"Oh, shit!" Mara panted. "Did I miss everything, already?"

"Not everything," Jaheem said, rolling the stiffness out of his neck.

Leandra found some tension relieving in her spine. She pulled her friend into a hug, needing her comfort. "Thank Andraste you're here."

Mara rubbed Leandra's back. "Uh, oh. What's wrong?"

"We need to save Malcolm." Leandra grabbed Mara's hand. "I'll explain on the way."

Jaheem sighed tiredly. "So I take it Mara's tagging along."

Mara flashed a cheeky grin. "Is that a problem?"

Jaheem's shoulders sagged. "Even if it was, would it stop you?"

"Not a chance," Mara winked.

Leandra held Mara's hand as she tried to condense the entirety of the trial in a five-minute walk. She tried not to spare any details, but was hesitant to bring up that Carver had been sent to Aenor, unsure if this was the best time to tell Mara.

Jaheem kept looking over his shoulder, oddly vigilant, as if he was expecting someone to follow him.

"Daaaaamn," Mara drawled as they stepped out of the courthouse. Leandra had just finished telling her about Malcolm's murder charges and why they needed to go to Darktown. "This turned into a shitfest fast."

Leandra held her hand to her belly, feeling its anxious flip. "No kidding."

As they approached Jaheem's car, he put a hand in front of the ladies to stop them. He reached into his pocket and brought out his car keys, turning on the remote start with the click of a button.

His dark blue Mercado Benz started up, purring smoothly.

The ladies gawked at Jaheem's beat-up car. There were harsh scratches on the paint, and the windshield had been cracked with what looked like pockmarks.

Mara whistled and sarcastically said, "Nice ride."

Jaheem gritted his teeth. "It was at one point."

Leandra's eyes widened with concern. "What in the Maker's name happened?"

"Ran into a bit of trouble yesterday," he replied vaguely and walked to his car, the ladies slowly following behind.

Jaheem opened the door for Leandra, but she looked at him apologetically.

"I need to discuss some things with Mara." Then she opened the backseat and let herself in, throwing her briefcase and purse at her feet.

Mara saluted Jaheem and then got in after Leandra, slamming the door shut.

Jaheem shrugged and shut the door. And then Leandra watched as he started peeking under his car for some reason, feeling for something. A yellow light flashed from Jaheem's hand and coated the underside of the car.

Leandra was about to open the door to ask what he was doing, but he had already hopped to his feet.

He brushed some dirt off his suit and let himself in the driver's seat. But instead of driving he whipped out his phone and started texting someone.

"What's the hold-up?" Mara asked, leaning into his chair.

"If we're going to Darktown, I think it would be prudent to bring my bodyguard," Jaheem told her.

Mara's fine eyebrow quirked up. "I'm curious why you don't have them now."

Jaheem's shoulders hunched with stress. "Lanelle's also my mom's wife, so she can be a bit overbearing. I prefer to only call on her when necessary."

Mara choked on a laugh. "Wait… So your mommy is also your bodyguard?"

Jaheem flinched. "She's not my mom," he said too quickly. "She came into the picture after my Dad died. She is a…" He grimaced as he tripped on his tongue trying to find the right word. "…A refugee my tribe took in. She owes us a debt and to repay it, she uses her skills to protect my family."

"But she's still your stepmom," Mara poked, her cat eyes gleaming.

Jaheem rolled his eyes and sneered. "Technically, yes. But I call her Lanelle and, believe me, we both prefer that."

Leandra nodded, sensing there was more to the story, but knew better not to pry. Jaheem had never really talked about his family before. He always seemed hesitant and never volunteered much when she asked. He seemed especially nervous now.

Leandra wasn't sure why. While she was surprised Jaheem's mom was married to a woman, she and Mara weren't the type to judge someone for whom they loved.

Jaheem finished texting and pulled out of the driveway. A few moments later a sleek black non-descript vehicle that was parked behind Jaheem's car started following them.

Leandra pulled Mara close, feeling like her heart would burst if she didn't tell someone. She whispered loudly, "So, Malcolm proposed last night."

Jaheem could definitely hear, but it didn't matter since he already sussed that out himself.

Mara couldn't contain her squeal and she hugged Leandra.

Jaheem jerked the wheel almost veering onto the sidewalk, but quickly corrected himself.

"Tell. Me. Everything!" Mara gasped, literally vibrating with excitement.

Leandra was grinning from ear to ear. "Well, I asked him to come over last night so I could tell him I am pregnant. The next thing I knew, Malcolm was on one knee asking me to marry him!"

Jaheem spotted the nondescript black vehicle trailing him a few cars behind. Something about it spooked him.

He floored the gas pedal and sped down the street.

"Jaheem! What in Andraste's name are you doing?!" Leandra yelped.

"Just taking a shortcut," he replied nonchalantly. Since traffic blocked him, he used the wrong side of the street to turn the corner. Car horns blared at him angrily, but he ignored them, cutting through a wide alley and flinging garbage everywhere, before he popped out onto a new street. Debris dragged on his wheels and spilled onto the pavement. As he cut off another car, he pressed a red button behind the steering wheel.

His Mercado Benz suddenly blended in with its surroundings and disappeared down the road.

Leandra peered out at the Hightown Market's stores and realized she couldn't see Jaheem's car reflected in the windows. She could only see a slight blur.

Jaheem maneuvered between the roads, weaving through the cars effortlessly, with everyone around him only barely aware he was there.

Leandra's heart was in her throat, terrified they were going to crash into some unaware car at any moment.

"Woaaah." Mara stared out the window to see the surface of the car melding into the background. "This is some spy shit."

Jaheem chuckled. The sidewalk was oddly free of pedestrians, so Jaheem used it as a road for a while, the car jumping on the curb.

Mara nudged a shell-shocked Leandra and whispered. "So you were saying Malcolm proposed?! I hope he actually got you a ring." She stared pointedly at Leandra's bare fingers.

Leandra was suddenly excited again, trying hard to forget she was in a speeding invisible vehicle. If she didn't push it out of her mind, she'd surely hurl from how fast they were going.

"In fact, he did." Leandra pulled on the chain on her neck to reveal the pink diamond ring.

Mara immediately snatched it, yanking Leandra's head close as she examined the ring. "Daaaaamn, that's a nice rock." She raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Who did he steal this from?"

Leandra giggled, feeling pleased. "That's what I thought at first, but he made it! Isn't he brilliant?"

Mara stared wistfully at the diamond's sparkle. "I wish Carver could have gotten me a ring before he was locked up."

Leandra's face fell, remembering Carver's fate. She told herself she should tell Mara, but she was hesitant to reveal such devastating news before heading into such a dangerous territory.

That's when Jaheem asked, "I hate to pry, but I kind of have to. What exactly is this evidence we're retrieving? All you told me is that it was a video." He glanced at the rearview mirror.

Leandra blushed, feeling Mara's inquisitive stare. She was too embarrassed to tell anyone about the tape, even Mara.

"Uuuh… it's a video of Malcolm and I on a date," Leandra decided to say.

Mara raised a confused eyebrow. "But we're headed to Darktown."

Leandra nodded tensely. "Yup."

"So we're going to the Pulse?" Mara cocked her head. "Isn't that the day you broke up with Malcolm? When did you take a video? Why haven't I seen it?"

Leandra's cheeks were steaming. She waved vaguely. "Oooh, you know…"

Jaheem sighed deeply. "Well, as long as there are no more surprises."

He weaved through Hightown and crossed the bridge to Lowtown, the tall daring skyscrapers now modest and worn with clear infrastructure cracks. The buildings only got shabbier and shabbier as they descended.

Soon they were at Darktown's gaping entrance, its presence in Lowtown like a pus-filled scar.

Jaheem pulled next to a boxy gray SUV. Standing in front of it was a massive muscular Qunari woman in a black suit. She had a double set of twisting ram horns ringed with gold bands. Her tree trunk arms were crossed over her soft belly. She was hunching but still towered over the vehicle. She had medium-gray skin like iron, and white coily locs like snow that were braided in a mohawk. Gold piercings covered her face, including a ridged hoop on her nose that gave her a minotaur-like impression. She was drawing stares from everyone nearby but she didn't seem to notice. She gave a mean glare at Jaheem's car as he parked.

Leandra wondered what the Qunari was doing here and how they were going to avoid her. But Jaheem got out of the car and walked towards her instead.

As he did, she stomped forward pointing with an accusing finger. "You didn't tell me you had work today!" She had a deep voice with a heavy Qunari accent that had a Rivaini inflection.

He gritted his teeth. "I've informed you now."

Jaheem was a large man but the Qunari easily dwarfed him. He was now standing in her shadow. "You Qalaba! You were almost assassinated yesterday! I'm supposed to stay by your side until we track down the culprits! Ay! Your mother is going to kill me!"

Jaheem forced a smile that could have been a snarl. "The call came so early I didn't have time."

"Ubulwane! You were avoiding me! Like always!" She jabbed a beefy finger into Jaheem's chest.

Leandra had never seen a Qunari before, and had only heard frightful rumors. She found herself trembling and clung to Mara. Still, when she heard Jaheem had almost been killed she gasped and said, "Jaheem, how could you not tell us you were almost assassinated?"

Jaheem's shoulders hunched sheepishly. "It wasn't a serious attempt. They were too sloppy to ever succeed."

Lanelle smacked the back of his head with a thunk. "Do not be overconfident, boy. They need to only succeed once. Your mother can't bring back the dead… yet."

Leandra wasn't sure why Jaheem seemed reluctant to call this woman his mother when she seemed so intent on mothering him. But she heard somewhere that the Qunari didn't have parents, so perhaps that had something to do with it.

Mara didn't seem frightened of Lanelle at all. In fact, she was inspecting the woman's chiseled physique, drooling. She glanced at Jaheem mischievously. "Your mother is a lucky woman, spy boy."

Jaheem flinched at that, and could barely suppress his glare. He gestured to the large cavernous stairs leading to Darktown. "We don't have time for this nonsense. Let's get going." And he stalked off.

Lanelle strolled behind him, keeping a close but respectful distance.

Mara dragged Leandra along, clearly checking out the Qunari's ass.

Leandra peeked out from behind Mara, staring at the enormous horned woman. Lanelle had a harsh beauty about her, with shapely lips and a prominent hook-like nose. Her face was softly wrinkled, and smile lines creased around her eyes and mouth. It surprised Leandra, who couldn't imagine a Qunari smiling.

Now that Leandra was looking more carefully she noticed the sides of Lanelle's head were shaved in a similar pattern to Jaheem's, as if this was a crest. She also had strange scars around the rim of her mouth as if it had been poked with holes. "I didn't know Qunari served humans."

"They do not." Lanelle's head snapped back, and her red eyes flashed with annoyance, glistening like blood. "I left the Qun decades ago, therefore I'm not Qunari. I'm a Rivaini Tal-Vashoth."

Leandra squeaked and hid behind Mara. She didn't understand the difference, or why this offended Lanelle, but she was too scared to ask more questions.

As they descended the stairs, Lanelle called out to Jaheem. "So where exactly is the location for this evidence?"

"There's not exactly an address, but Leandra knows the way, right?" Jaheem stopped walking and glanced at her.

Leandra fiddled with the chain around her neck. "About that…" She chuckled nervously. "I was… distracted last time I was here. And I'm bad at directions in the first place so we may have to stop someone and ask."

"Wicked Anaanse, you are testing me," Jaheem muttered. He pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache. "Leandra, two hours isn't enough time to be wandering around Darktown aimlessly." His voice was tense and full of frustration.

Mara rolled her eyes and patted Leandra's head as if she were a child or a small dog. "You're useless without me," she crooned fondly.

Leandra twisted her mouth in a childish pout. "Am not!"

Mara smirked and turned to Jaheem and his Tal-Vashoth bodyguard not-mother. "Don't you worry. I remember just fine. I even know a shortcut."

She took Leandra's arm and strolled down the stairs, passing Jaheem and Lanelle. She crooked a finger, beckoning them to follow her.

It seemed to take forever to reach the bottom of the cavern. The air got heavier and more rank with each step, until the stench became choking.

Leandra wrinkled her nose as a bout of nausea overtook her. She looked at Mara. "Why do you know so much about Darktown?"

Mara shrugged back casually. "I have friends here."

Leandra nodded, feeling her gut tighten as they walked deeper underground. She covered her nose, trying to ignore the longing stares of the vagrants unfortunate enough to call this place home. She remembered the last time she was here how she accidentally started a fight, trying to hand out money. Her heart wrenched thinking how her parents were preying on these poor people.

Mara led them through shabby market stalls and into a side entrance where a set of stairs descended even deeper into the abyss. They passed some thugs who leered at Mara and Leandra, but they took one look at Lanelle and walked in the other direction.

The ruddy stone walls were wet with mildew and rot. The metal grate beneath them was rusty and creaked under their combined weight and Leandra feared it would collapse. The air was dusty and made it difficult to breathe, and Leandra's lungs quickly became heavy with the strong smell of decay and various body odors wafting in the air.

This was worse than Leandra remembered.

Mara didn't seem lost at all. She spotted a small symbol at the bottom of an ordinary door. It looked like an arrow with an exploding tip surrounded by a spiky halo dripping with what looked like blood.

She opened the door and suddenly they were in a wide mineshaft that was abandoned and very creepy. The air was chilly and there were skeletons scattered about the room. Leandra feared they would get up and start attacking.

There were minecarts filled with rocks and bone. Rancid barrels were everywhere leaking chemicals that smelled like death. The mineshaft had many tunnels leading into it in an endless maze.

It was already hard to see, but Leandra had to squint to adjust to the dark.

Lanelle cupped her hands and a ball of flame appeared.

Leandra jumped, watching as the flame dispersed into many smaller sparks that zoomed out and lit up the dead torches. Soon the room was bathed in a warm light.

Leandra raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You're an apostate?"

Lanelle nodded tensely. "I guess that's the word for it here."

They walked ahead for a minute, Lanelle lighting more torches to keep their bearings, but after they got to the center of the mineshaft, she sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose as if she caught an especially foul smell. She stopped the group with a wave of her hand.

Jaheem raised his head watching as Lanelle's short pointed ears rotated, as if she was trying to pinpoint a sound.

"What's wrong?"

"We are being followed." Lanelle's red eyes suddenly coated over with a white glowing film.

Leandra's stomach dropped in fear.

Lanelle grabbed a large dagger on her belt and shook it. The dagger snapped, extending into a long spear. She pointed to some shadows in the rafters. "Reveal yourselves and state your purpose!"

Leandra looked at the shadows, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. There was a patch of sunlight where the mineshaft cut upwards into the rock, Lowtown just above it.

Suddenly there was a soft pop and a glint of metal sparked from the rafters.

In the next moment, Lanelle waved her spear, and the sigil of a large barrier coated everyone with a blue light. A bullet sparked off Lanelle's head and immediately cracked her shield.

Leandra screamed as several more arrows and bullets came whooshing down at them from several directions, but Lanelle swooped forward with inhuman speed and cut them all in half with her spear.

Before she could recover, the air sweltered with sudden heat. A large fireball came raining down at the group about to incinerate everyone.

"Stay behind me!" Lanelle commanded.

Leandra closed her eyes, clutching Mara as she braced for the impact.

Lanelle pressed her glowing fingers toward the large fireball and shot a beam into the flames. The fire fell apart and dispersed into smoke before it could hit them.

When there was nothing left but sprinkling ash, Lanelle took the butt of her spear and stabbed it into the ground.

Ghostly green hands appeared underneath Lanelle and reached into the shadows around them. With another pound of her spear, the assailants were dragged from their shrouds and slammed into the ground, the ghostly arms binding them in a tight hug.

There were now seven rogues in pitch-black leather armor and hoods scattered before Lanelle. They wore masks with black beaks and strange goggles with slits for eyesockets. They had intersecting metal plates coating their bound arms and legs.

Lanelle squinted her eyes in disgust. "Crows…"

"Shiiiit, we pissed someone off bad." Mara reached for her purse.

The Crows didn't say anything. With a flash of one of their hands, Lanelle's ghostly arms were dispelled and they were free. In the next moment, one of them threw something from his belt, and with a poof, the area was covered in dark smoke, making it impossible to see.

Leandra heard something shatter at her feet and she was shoved sideways with the force of it. Her back hit a wall, knocking the wind out of her.

She stumbled upright, coughing, desperate to find a place to hide. She had basic self-defense courses but was never any good at combat. She couldn't possibly fight off one Crow, let alone seven of them.

She scrambled away blindly, unsure of where she was going. She heard Jaheem scream out in pain, and she flinched, fearing he was already dead. She whimpered, wondering if Mara was dead, too. How could she have dragged her best friend into this mess?

Leandra coughed hoarsely on the smoke as she used her hands to guide herself along the walls. She found a random doorway to who knows where. She tried to rush through it, but the largest assassin yanked her back by her long hair. She yelped in pain as she hit his chest. He wrapped his arm around her waist, in a cruel parody of an intimate embrace, and pressed a cold dagger to her throat.

"Where are you going, cariña?" he purred in a thick Antivan accent. His mask distorted his voice, but she could hear the cruel smirk on his lips.

Leandra was too frightened to do anything but sob.

"Aww, how sweet." The Crow's chuckle rumbled against her as he pressed his hardened mask to her trembling cheek. "Wish we could have spent more time together. You look fun."

Then just as he was about to drag the dagger across Leandra's throat another Crow punched him in the face. "Imbécil!" Her warped voice was scratchy on the distorter. "Look closer. That's the Ascendant's daughter!"

Leandra gasped, clutching her throat as a rivulet of blood dripped down her neck.

The larger Crow snarled but he spat out. "Fine, I'll take her to Mommy. Just make sure you kill the others." Then he grabbed Leandra and hoisted her over his shoulder effortlessly like she was a sack of flour.

He dashed through the smoke barreling back the way they came. The fog flashed with strange lights. The air vibrated with the sounds of random gunshots that echoed through the tunnels. There was the constant clang of metal as blades crashed against each other.

Leandra screamed in terror. She pounded her fists on the Crow's back but they bounced off uselessly. She tried to make sense of her surroundings but she could only choke on the heavy disorienting fog.

Lanelle roared from somewhere in the room, a bright red light flashing from her. The smoke whooshed away as if it was running from her scream.

With the fog cleared, Leandra spotted Lanelle surrounded by three Crows. She was holding them off effortlessly, while Mara and Jaheem were back to back, fending off the other three.

Mara's movements were so swift Leandra could hardly see what was happening. She was throwing knives she had somehow hidden up the sleeves of her blouse, as she shot off rounds with her handgun, keeping the assassins from getting too close.

Jaheem had a giant gash torn across his chest, soaking his suit in blood. He shielded Mara, swiping away the incoming daggers with his fists. The rings on his hands flashed with every punch, repelling the assassins with their strange magic.

Two Crows lunged in coordination, aiming to take off Jaheem's head.

Jaheem moved smoothly, ducking between them, and punched one of them square in the jaw. The red ruby on his ring flashed and set the Crow on fire.

She howled in pain, running in no direction in particular as she desperately tried to douse the flames. The air stank with the smell of burning flesh.

The second assassin jumped back without his partner to back him up, glaring at Jaheem's rings warily.

The third assassin stayed out of reach in the corner and aimed an arrow at Jaheem's head.

Before he could loosen the arrow, Mara shot a bullet into his throat, and he went down with a gurgle.

The second Crow realized he was now facing Mara and Jaheem unsupported and backed away to his other comrades.

While that was happening, Lanelle was busy parrying the three other assassins with her spear. She flung spells when she had an opening, but one of the assassins dispelled her magic, while the others expertly dodged, their coordination flawless.

The mage Crow growled and said, "This is taking too long!" She turned her dagger against herself and stabbed her stomach.

She bled freely, blood pooling beneath her. Then, like a sticky web, it shot out and seized Lanelle, Mara, and Jaheem, holding them in place. They tried to move, but could only twitch against the spell.

The assassins closed in on the group, confident that the blood magic would hold them in place.

Lanelle bit her tongue in desperation and her body sparked. "Last mistake, basra!"

She roared. Bursts of lightning surged from her body. The arcs sought the Crows, shocking every assassin, including the one carrying Leandra.

The large Crow cried out and stumbled to the ground, his back scorched and smoking. His body was quivering from pain.

Leandra yelped as she hit the ground hard. As soon as she recovered, she kicked the assassin in the face with her heel, knocking his mask off.

"You bitch!"

Leandra fled hastily, though her movements were shaky and awkward.

The large Crow's mouth was soaked in blood. He scrambled to his feet to run after her, but he heard a scream and realized his comrades were in trouble.

Lanelle was shaping the remaining lightning still whizzing around the room and flinging it at his comrades, overwhelming them with her raw power.

The man chose to ignore Leandra, not deeming her a threat. He grabbed his handgun off his belt and rushed in range of Lanelle.

There were only three Crows left alive, including Leandra's kidnapper. The blood mage was busy repelling Lanelle's lightning storm as the remaining Crow kept Mara and Jaheem busy. They were doing a good job keeping the assassins at bay, but Jaheem's wound hadn't stopped bleeding, and his dark skin was turning pale, his movements getting sluggish. None of them realized they had a new combatant to deal with.

The large assassin who tried to kidnap Leandra aimed his handgun at Lanelle's head. She was too busy locked in battle with the blood mage to notice.

Not knowing what else to do, Leandra grabbed the nearest hard thing she could find, which was a skeleton's femur. She shattered it on the back of the Crow's head just as he pulled the trigger.

The man shouted as he was peppered with bone shards.

"Mierda!"
The shot went wide, missing Lanelle's head by inches.

The assassin turned towards Leandra and snarled, his amber eyes murderous. He aimed his gun at her forehead. "You should have kept running, bitch."

But before he could pull the trigger, a bullet blew his brains out.

Leandra gasped as his blood and viscera splattered all over her. He crumpled to the floor making a messy puddle of brain matter.

Leandra had never seen a dead body before. She wasn't prepared for how grotesque the inside of a man looked like. It reminded her for some reason of chopped-up lasagna. She held her hand over her mouth, gagging. Her stomach flipped violently and she ended up heaving her guts onto the floor.

Leandra wiped her mouth and looked at where the bullet came from. Mara was reloading her handgun behind a strange hexagonal barrier Jaheem had summoned.

The blood mage gasped heavily. She snapped at the other Crow. "Why was there no report of a saarebas?!"

The remaining rogue flanked her, glancing at their fallen comrades. "I don't know but it may be time for a tactical retreat."

Lanelle growled and clenched her fist on her spear's blade drawing blood. "I don't think so."

The air around the Crows' heads started to swirl until it swallowed them, coating them in a bubble. Lanelle raised her fist and they dangled in the air like stringed puppets. They dropped their weapons in surprise, now choking as Lanelle's spell stole their breath, sucking it from their lungs.

Leandra covered her mouth in horror, not able to comprehend the assassin's gargled gasps. She didn't even know such a spell existed.

Jaheem pressed his hand on Lanelle's arm. "Don't kill them."

Lanelle snarled, clenching her bloody fist tighter. "Why?! They were paid to murder us."

Jaheem winced as he touched his bleeding wound. "True, but they also have information we need."

Lanelle considered this. "Then only one needs to live. We kill the blood mage." She clenched her fist tighter, her wound bleeding more freely.

The blood mage seized and twitched in pain as Leandra and Mara gawked in a mix of awe and horror.

"No." Jaheem narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. "We let you live."

Lanelle flinched but then hid it with a grunt. "You're too soft." She released her spell with a wave of her hand.

The assassins collapsed on the ground, gasping and wheezing for sweet breath.

The blood mage chuckled weakly. "Impressive for an oxman. But you're an idiot if you think you can torture us into talking."

Jaheem's serene smile somehow looked menacing. "I don't need to torture you. In fact, I have no need of your cooperation." He turned to Lanelle. "Put them to sleep. Inform the alchemist to make some amanzi eqiniso. And have a team pick them up ASAP. We can use this to our advantage."

Lanelle nodded. She flung her bloody palm at the assassins, spattering them. "Sleep, then," she commanded.

The rogue Crow's head fell with a snore. The blood mage fell too, but then after a moment her head jerked violently as if something was lifting her.

Leandra looked at Lanelle's hand and she was squeezing her palm wound, pouring blood onto the ground.

The blood mage seized for a moment more before collapsing, her mask bleeding profusely.

Jaheem growled. "I said to let her live!"

Lanelle shrugged. "You weren't seeing reason. This is the most practical option. She's too dangerous."

Jaheem crossed his arms. "Are you saying it was too dangerous to let you live?"

"Yes," she said plainly without hesitation. "If you have a problem with my methods, take it up with your mother." She snapped her spear back into a dagger, and attached it to her belt as she approached Jaheem. "Stop complaining and let me take a look at that wound."

Lanelle's hands glowed blue, the deep cut on her palm sealing up into another scar. Jaheem gritted his teeth, wincing as she pressed her hands on his chest, but didn't argue further.

Leandra trembled. She hadn't realized until now that Lanelle was a maleficar, but she found herself grateful the Tal-Vashoth was on their side. Still, she couldn't help but notice the strange interaction between Jaheem and Lanelle.

Leandra clutched Mara. "Are you alright?" Her eyes flung to Mara's stomach in worry.

Mara panted a bit, clearly out of breath. She rubbed Leandra's back, knowing it would soothe her. "Never better. I needed some exercise."

"You're so clumsy, boy." Lanelle shook her head as she continued to heal Jaheem. She pulled a green vial from her sidepack. "You're poisoned. This should help." Her teeth were still bloody from biting her tongue.

Jaheem snatched the vial and drank it greedily. A few minutes later the color started to return to his cheeks.

Lanelle continued to heal him but he finally waved her off. "I'm fine. Stop hovering," he insisted with a snap.

She took this in stride, turning to the other ladies. "Are any of you hurt?"

Mara was in the middle of picking up her scattered knives and looting the dead bodies, pocketing their shiny valuables with glee. Leandra shrank behind Mara, cowering at the thought of being touched by a maleficar, but when Mara heard the offer, she abandoned the corpses and rushed up excitedly.

"I am!" she said with a wave, suddenly limping. Though it didn't look like she had more than a few scratches.

Lanelle frowned as Mara slunk up to her with a minxy grin. She sighed reluctantly but dutifully ran her hands along Mara's body.

Jaheem was still wheezing and wincing. He sat on a nearby crate.

Leandra crept up to him, utterly confused. "Your mother married not only a Qunari but a maleficar?"

"Tal-Vashoth," Jaheem corrected with gritted teeth, but didn't volunteer anything else. He seemed nervous about this line of questioning.

"You're okay with that?!" Leandra whispered loudly, her voice tight and thin.

"Like I could tell my mother what to do," he spat bitterly. He sucked in his teeth. "Look. Rivain doesn't see blood magic the same way as the rest of Thedas. It's just a tool, one Rivain had long before the Chantry came in with their rules." He gave Leandra a pointed black stare, his voice dangerously low. "So, I'd appreciate it if you kept this quiet."

Leandra bit her lip, knowing she would. Lanelle saved her life, saved Mara's life. Leandra didn't know what would have happened if Lanelle hadn't been here.

But that didn't mean she was comfortable with maleficarum.

"I cannot sense any injuries on you," the massive Tal Vashoth growled.

Mara kept Lanelle's strong hands pressed to her belly so they were now embracing. "Keep looking. You'll find them."

Leandra snarled and stormed up to Mara, snatching her away from Lanelle rather forcefully. Her nails dug into Mara's arm as she cried, "You're engaged!"

"What?" Mara widened her cat eyes as she put an innocent hand on her chest. "I didn't do anything."

Lanelle ignored everyone and grabbed a strange crystal that dangled at her thick neck. It glowed as she spoke into it in the Rivaini tongue.

A voice answered in the crystal in the same foreign language.

Leandra gazed around at the carnage, the smell of blood and dust was heavy in the air mixed with scorched flesh. Viscera, guts, and brains were splattered on the ground and walls. Her stomach was queasy, and she wondered if she was going to throw up again.

Mara seemed to sense this and tore into her purse. "Here." She popped a piece of gum into Leandra's mouth before taking a piece for herself as well.

Leandra did have to admit the minty taste shocked her senses, so she was a tad less nauseous. She found the bile coating her mouth less bitter. But she was still on edge, jumping at every shadow for fear that another Crow was shrouded there.

Lanelle seemed to be done talking to whoever was in the communication crystal and started binding up the assassin that was still alive. She glanced at Jaheem. "These Crows knew exactly where we were. Were you followed?"

"Of course not," Jaheem scowled. "You really think I'm an amateur?"

Mara reached into Leandra's purse without asking and pulled out her phone. She unlocked it and started searching for something. A few moments later, she had found it. "Like I thought. Your parents planted a tracker."

Leandra bit her lip, her stomach sinking as she realized she was indirectly responsible for this mess. "That makes sense. One of the Crows said they were ordered not to kill me and tried to drag me to my mother."

"Of course," Mara snorted. "Sorry for this Leandra."

A moment later, Mara dropped Leandra's brand new phone on the ground and smashed it to pieces with her heel.

Leandra's surprised squawk echoed through the mineshaft. "Was that really necessary?"

"Unless you want more Crows catching up with us, yes," Mara shot back.

Leandra slumped her shoulders, knowing she was right, but still mourning the loss of yet another phone. How was she supposed to get word from Malcolm now?

Jaheem was having trouble standing up. Lanelle had finished binding the sleeping Crow, so she walked up and offered her sturdy arm to stabilize him. "Apologies, inkosi. I know I'm not the best at creation magic."

He reluctantly grabbed her arm and pulled himself up. "I'm just winded. It's been a while since I had to do hand-to-hand combat."

"And you've clearly been slacking on your training," Lanelle lectured with a grunt.

Jaheem rolled his eyes and shoved Lanelle away. He turned to Mara. "Do you know the rest of the way from here? We've wasted enough time."

Mara stared along the top of the doorways looking for something. She spotted another strange exploding bloody arrow symbol carved at the top of one of them. She nodded and waved them through the doorway, rushing ahead. "We're almost there."

"Wait, don't stray too far." Lanelle quickly dashed after her.

Leandra tried to follow but Jaheem was lagging behind, so she went back for him and dragged him along by the arm.

The tunnel was rather cramped, so cramped that Lanelle's horns were scraping the ceiling. You could still see the pockmarks in the chiseled stone where a pickaxe had taken out chunks. It was too dark to see more than a few inches so Lanelle conjured some wisps to bob along beside her, coating everyone in an eerie green light.

Mara pointed to a random stack of barrels at the dead end and said, "There it is!"

Leandra thought Mara must have been hit too hard on the head or something. She saw nothing but a blocked path.

Mara walked up to the barrels and pressed her palm on another symbol of an exploding bloody arrow carved onto one of them. The symbol glowed and sank a few centimeters into the wood.

Suddenly the earth rumbled and the barrels split apart revealing the rest of the passage.

Leandra gaped at her friend in shock. First, how was Mara able to hold her own against highly trained assassins while pregnant, having managed to walk away with only a few tears in her dress? And now she apparently knew Darktown so well she was leading them through secret passages? Leandra wondered what the exploding bloody arrow meant. She was uneasy by all these revelations.

Did she know Mara at all?

"Who told you about this passage?" Leandra asked suspiciously.

Mara gave a nonchalant shrug. "Oh, a friend."

Another vague answer that made Leandra's stomach queasy. She chewed on her gum to comfort herself.

Mara was about to head inside the passage when Lanelle pushed her way forward.

"Allow me to secure the area."

Mara's eyes widened and she rushed after Lanelle. "Wait, it's not safe!"

"That's exactly why I must go first." Lanelle scoffed, and kept stalking ahead not noticing her foot was dangerously close to a tripwire.

Mara let out an exasperated growl and unbuckled her waist belt. She snapped it like a whip and it wrapped around Lanelle's ankle, tripping her.

Lanelle fell backward with a hard thud. She scowled and threw a glare at Mara. "What was that for?"

Mara rolled her eyes and threw a knife at the wire before Lanelle could trip it herself. A moment later a bunch of spikes from the floor and walls jabbed out and impaled the air where Lanelle was about to walk.

"Sorry." Mara snapped her belt back around her waist. "My friends are the paranoid type."

Lanelle rubbed the back of her head with a lick of magic, eying the spikes that were slowly retreating back into their holes. "So it would seem."

Mara reached for her purse, grabbed some lockpicking tools, and worked carefully on some other traps in the area that Leandra didn't notice. Everyone stood deadly still as she worked, unsure of where to step.

Leandra was baffled at her friend. "Since when do you know how to disarm traps?"

"It's a hobby I picked up on my own," Mara hummed. "But a friend did give me some pointers."

Leandra crossed her arms. None of this made sense to her. "And I suppose fighting off assassins was another hobby you picked up somehow?"

Mara finished safely snapping another wire trap and moved onto some pressure sensors. "No, I learned that as part of my job as your lady's maid." She flashed a cheeky grin. "Your mother thought I needed to be able to protect you from the shadows."

Leandra was flabbergasted, utterly confused. Just how many secrets was Mara hiding?

"Soooo," Mara drawled as she continued to disarm the traps. With a mischievous cat-like smirk, she glanced at the Tal-Vashoth. "I heard you're Jaheem's other mom."

Jaheem flinched, his face crumpling into a scowl.

Lanelle stiffened and frowned deeply, crossing her arms in discomfort. "No, we both agree I do not deserve that right."

Leandra cocked her head in surprise, wondering what that could possibly mean.

Mara's eyebrows shot up, intrigued. "Now that has to be a story. Do spill."

Jaheem snarled uncharacteristically. "Can we focus on the task at hand?"

"I can chat and disarm at the same time. I'm multi-talented," Mara grinned. She glanced at Lanelle who was gritting her teeth in a grimace. "So how did you and Jaheem's mom meet?"

Jaheem raised his hand. "Lanelle, you don't have to answer that."

Leandra raised an eyebrow. It seemed like an innocent enough question.

Lanelle sighed and said, "No, the Qun states to truly atone you must bear your sins openly."

Jaheem growled, clearly on edge. "You don't even follow the Qun anymore."

"True, but there is wisdom in the Qun," Lanelle retorted. She bowed her head, looking deeply ashamed. "I was part of a squadron that was sent to assassinate the heads of the Omenma tribe. I killed Jaheem's father, and mortally wounded his mother."

Leandra covered her mouth in horror, not being able to imagine how such a thing could happen. She wondered how a mother could willingly marry her husband's murderer. She wondered how a mother could inflict that pain on her child. She wondered how Jaheem could stand to look at Lanelle. She couldn't imagine the pain he must feel in her presence.

Mara's jaw was on the floor, forgetting her work. She smacked on her gum loudly as she tried to think of what to say. "That's… quite the meet-cute."

Jaheem clenched his fists and turned away, hiding his expression from everyone, but his shoulders were trembling in pain.

Lanelle's voice was quiet. "I was a prisoner for many years. Jahzara, Jaheem's mother, would visit and talk to me." She chuckled dryly. "She is a strange woman. I expected her to execute me but she wanted to understand me." She pointed to her scarred mouth. "Qunari fear magic. The Rivaini do not. She gave me my voice back. Regrew my tongue."

Leandra gasped in alarm. "The Qunari cut out mages tongues?"

Lanelle shook her head. "We cut it out ourselves, and sew up our mouths to show our willingness to not endanger our comrades. It is a necessary evil to protect everyone."

That sounded like bullshit to Leandra. She couldn't and wouldn't understand that. She couldn't imagine her Malcolm mutilated like that. Tears sprung in her eyes thinking of what Lanelle had to go through.

The large Tal-Vashoth sighed looking at her palm, etched with many healed cuts. "Jahzara taught me to look at the world differently… Gave me a name I could call my own. And… I guess I abandoned the Qun. I've been protecting the Omenma tribe ever since."

"Mainly me," Jaheem spat, as he took over disarming the traps Mara had forgotten about with a little lockpick set he had tucked in his sock.

Lanelle frowned, wringing her hands in regret. "I try my best to stay out of the way."

"Not quite enough, I'm afraid," he snarled back stiffly.

Leandra could now see why Jaheem was reluctant to call Lanelle his mother.

Mara glanced as Jaheem worked angrily, seeming to regret bringing the subject up. She kept her mouth shut for once and helped him.

With Mara and Jaheem working together, they quickly finished disarming the traps.

Mara pressed on her twinging back with a wince. "I think that's all of the traps in this section, but stay behind me. There may be more I've forgotten about."

She crooked a finger for the others to follow her, and they walked carefully through the strange corridor.

It was a bit wider than the tunnel they entered in from, with strange magical lanterns that lit up as they got close. The walls were a deep yellow ochre, layered carefully with square bricks.

Soon Mara found a large metal door with another symbol. "This is our stop," she announced.

Leandra was uncertain. The door looked like it had been rusted shut and she wasn't sure how they would push through it.

Lanelle stepped forward, cracking her meaty knuckles. "I'll take care of this."

Mara gestured at the door. "Feel free, stud muffin." She purposefully didn't point out the helpful black button on the bottom of the door that would have opened it for them.

Lanelle pressed her palms on the heavy metal and began to pull. As she did her backside bulged with thick muscles, all flexing to break through the rust.

"Daaaaamn," Mara hummed in appreciation as she ogled Lanelle's backside.

Jaheem pinched the bridge of his nose as Leandra crossed her arms in disapproval.

Mara smiled salaciously. "What?" She waved Leandra's disgust away. "Carver already said we could be in an open relationship while he's in lock-up."

Leandra's jaw dropped, fully scandalized. Carver had to be crazy to suggest that and Mara crazier for going along with it.

"I'm happily married and old enough to have changed your diapers," Lanelle grunted as she continued to pry at the stubborn doors.

"Kinky." Mara waggled her eyebrows.

Leandra twisted her mouth in revulsion about to scold Mara when the doors screeched open to a group of Carta dwarves.

It appeared they had interrupted the dwarves. They were in the middle of loading glowing drums onto a beat-up train car. They flailed in surprise, almost dropping the luminous material they were carrying, and they scrambled to catch it before it crashed to the ground.

Lanelle unsnapped the dagger on her belt into a spear again, and went into a defensive stance, readying a spell.

The dwarves that weren't carrying drums pulled out their guns and aimed them at Lanelle.

Mara jumped in between Lanelle and the dwarves. "Hey, hey, you're carrying lyrium. Let's not blow ourselves up, geniuses."

The dwarves glanced nervously at the lyrium scattered around them, realizing the huge bomb they were sitting on.

"Mara?" A square dwarf with a ginger rope-like beard said.

Leandra recognized him, but she couldn't place him.

The other dwarves relaxed a bit at the sight of Mara, but they still had their guns trained on Lanelle warily.

Leandra raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "You know them? I thought you said these men were Carta."

"Yeah, they are, but Jarkel became a friend." Mara shrugged as if that answered things.

Jarkel hopped off the train and started walking towards her. "We may be friends, Mara, but that doesn't mean you can barge in here whenever you want. What the fuck are you doing here?"

Mara chuckled, a nervous edge to her voice. "It was an emergency. My friend left a tape here and she needs to retrieve it. Have any of you seen it?" She gestured at Leandra.

As soon as the dwarves looked at Leandra they broke down in raunchy laughter that made her shrink in shame.

"Oh, yeah, we've seen it."

Mara crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "Okay, so can we have it?"

A chorus of dwarves hooted in succession.

"Sorry, my copy went missing."

"So did mine."

"Mine, too."

Everyone claimed they no longer had Leandra's tape. Her cheeks burned, knowing the dwarves were messing with her.

One of the Carta flashed a gap-toothed smile. "Afraid you're going to have to ask Cross, honey. He has the original on the server. He can get you a copy if you need it so bad."

Mara threw up her hands in frustration and turned to walk to the nightclub. "Fine, I will."

Another dark skinny dwarf raised a strange laser at her, the red dot penetrating her chest. "Uh, uh. Who do you think you are?"

"May I remind you, boys, that you're on a shit ton of explosives and my friend here is a saarebas. Do you really want a firefight?" Mara placed a delicate hand on Lanelle's beefy arm.

The dwarves studied Lanelle. She looked extra imposing with all the rips in her suit and blood splattered all over her. Even her viscera-covered spear taunted them, sparking with arcs of lightning in warning.

The dwarves looked at each other to see if anyone would take the first shot.

Jarkel waved at his comrades. "Don't shit yourselves. I'll take them to the boss. Just make sure the shipment gets out in time."

Leandra sighed in relief as the dwarves decided to lower their weapons and continued to carry the barrels as carefully as they could into the janky train car.

Jarkel whistled at Mara and the group. "You coming?"

Mara strode up to Jarkel with a smirk on her face. "Seems like you moved up the ranks."

Jarkel flushed, rather pleased she noticed. "Yeah, well those earwigs at the Merchant's Guild ball helped with that. Nasty suggestion, by the way."

Mara nudged him with a laugh. "Told you that would shut down any party."

Leandra followed Mara absolutely bewildered. Since when was she friends with the Carta? Or with people who disarmed traps? Or with people who lived in Darktown? Leandra realized she didn't know any of Mara's other friends at all.

Jarkel put a suggestive hand on Mara's leg, thumbing the rip in her skirt. "You owe me, girl."

Mara snorted and swatted his hand away. "Watch it! I would have blown your ass up, too." She hopped down to the train tracks below the platform.

The dwarf didn't seem to take her slap as discouragement. He followed her down with a jump, keeping close. He stroked one of his roped braids on his beard. "You know Cross is not going to part with that tape. But I can ask him to give me a copy and I'll give it to you."

"How generous." Mara cocked her head and glanced at Leandra suspiciously. "I'm surprised you don't already have a copy if it's as popular as I hear. Or did yours go missing, too?"

Jaheem and Lanelle jumped down after Mara, but Leandra didn't feel comfortable with how high the platform was, so she walked to a nearby ladder and climbed down.

Jarkel raised his head and put a hand on his chest as if he was wounded. "I'm offended. I never had a copy in the first place." He grabbed her hand. "I'm not that kind of man, Mara. I would never jack off to my girl's best friend."

Jaheem's eyes bulged and glanced at Leandra, looking exasperated with her.

Leandra's cheeks burned in shame. If Mara and Jaheem didn't know what was on the tape, they now had an idea. She glanced at Mara who was scowling deeply.

"I am not your girl," she seethed, snatching back her hand.

Jarkel chuckled, his jagged brands stretching, cutting squares on his angular face. He strolled with Mara into the dark tunnel casually. "You know I can get you the tape, but I can't just give something like that away for free. Get me? There has to be a price."

Mara cocked her head and smiled dangerously. The flickering lights barely lit up the train tunnel, casting long dark shadows on her face. "If the price is what I think it is, I'm going to knee you in the nuts. I already told you I'm engaged."

Jarkel laughed cruelly, the sound bouncing off the stone. "Didn't you hear, girl? Your Templar's been sentenced to life in Aenor. He ain't coming back."

Mara stopped in her tracks. "That's not true, I saw him yesterday." Her voice was tight and frail.

Jarkel was inappropriately pleased with her reaction. He watched her face as he said, "He was shipped this morning. Heard it myself from one of the Templar fellas I sell to."

Mara's eyes flung to Leandra with a look of betrayal. "Is this true?"

Leandra's face fell, the guilt pooling in her stomach. She gulped heavily, accidentally swallowing her gum.

Y-yes," she admitted. "I'm sorry, I didn't get around to telling you yet."

Mara recoiled as if she'd been slapped. Tears flooded her eyes. For a moment, she just stared blankly at Leandra, devastated.

Then her face twisted with anger. "You are so full of shit!" she scoffed. "That's the first thing you should have told me!"

Leandra flinched. "I meant to-"

"Bullshit!" Mara spat. She pulled at her hair, growling, "I can't believe you! You're so selfish! You couldn't wait to brag about being engaged, but couldn't spare one second to tell me I'll never see my fiancé again!"

Leandra fumbled, tripping on her words. She had no good answer for that. "Mara, I'm sorry."

Mara shook her head as tears dripped down her face. "You know, Leandra, you can be a real spoiled bitch, sometimes." She spat her chewed-up piece of gum at Leandra's feet and stormed away, leaving Leandra with Jaheem and Lanelle.

Jarkel winked a dull grey eye at Leandra, and then stalked after Mara.

Leandra was now frozen in place, wincing at Mara's words, knowing they were true. They had never had a serious fight before. She wasn't sure what to do if Mara wouldn't accept her apology. Before she knew it she was sobbing.

Jaheem placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Mara's hurting. Give her time."

But Leandra had promised Malcolm she'd leave as soon as he gave the word. Would she even have time to make up for this?

It wasn't long until the tunnel turned into the clubroom. It looked so different without the rainbow light's strobing effects. In fact, it looked like a regular run-down, dingy subway station. There were cracks in the tile and layered stains on the floor, making it brown and muddy where it was once white. The bar Leandra realized was actually a modified ticket booth. She could now see the grooves on the walls and floors where Mara told her traps were.

There were dwarves scattered about, and they went to raise the alarm at the sight of Lanelle and the others but relaxed when Jarkel waved them off.

Jarkel turned to Mara with a wry smile. "Are you sure you want to talk to the boss directly? He's not in a good mood."

"Well, neither am I," Mara growled as she marched ahead, clenching her purse. There were unshed tears in her eyes.

Jarkel chuckled and stuffed his boxy hands in his pockets. "Well, this is going to be a show."

He led them down into a thin hallway where Cross' office lay. It looked so grimy in this dim light. The walls of the office were lined with various liquors from cheap to expensive. There was a large TV on the wall that looked brand new. At the far end of the room was Cross' desk where his computer lay.

Cross was in the middle of lecturing his lieutenants. Leandra recognized the ugly brand that split his face in four sections. His red curly coiffed hair was slicked back, and the microbraids that dangled from his beard looked freshly oiled. His russet brown skin looked even darker in this lighting, making the gold bands that lined his ear extra shiny.

"The Big Five are calling in some extra muscle, so I have to go in personally. Don't fuck up anything while I'm gone, understand?"

"We won't let anything happen, boss," a dwarf with very bushy eyebrows nodded.

"Better not," Cross barked. "Or I'm flaying all your asses and making a barbeque."

Leandra had a feeling that wasn't an empty threat from the looks on the other dwarves' faces.

Cross' eyes fell on Jarkel and noticed his tagalongs. He scowled and pushed past his lieutenants pointing a thick square finger. "What the fuck are you doing, dumbass? This ain't a public zoo."

"If it is, I want a refund. The attractions suck," Mara quipped with her usual spunk, but there was a hard edge to her voice.

Cross' glare seemed to disappear behind the black bar tattooed over his eyes. "Mouthy bitches get their teeth knocked out. Remember that."

Leandra flinched, unsure how soon the Carta boss would follow through on that threat.

Mara rolled her eyes flippantly. "Such a big strong man you are." Her voice was dripping in sarcasm, not showing a hint of fear.

Cross snorted, strode to his desk, and plucked a half-smoked Antivan cigar off the tray. His lighter lit the end with a snap. His lieutenants scattered to the sides of the room, ready to jump in if needed. He kept his back turned as he puffed his cigar. "So, what can I do for such an illustrious group of guests." His voice was also dripping in sarcasm.

Mara crossed her arms and pointed to Leandra with her lips. "I need a favor. My friend made a tape in your fine establishment and she needs a copy of it."

Cross' eyes glided to Leandra as if he'd just noticed she was there. He barked out a throaty laugh. "Didn't recognize you with all your clothes on, rich tits."

Leandra flushed red as the other dwarves chuckled, undressing her with their eyes. She covered her chest with her arms, hunching over. She wanted to retort something back, but her tongue was tied in embarrassment.

Mara growled, clenching her fists. "Watch it. We brought a saarebas with us."

Cross and his lieutenants glared at Lanelle warily. "Oh, you have a pet oxman, now?"

Lanelle cracked her beefy neck and glowered back, her red eyes flashing in a silent threat.

Cross chuckled and glanced at Jarkel. "What is this? An ambush? Trying to wheedle your way to the top?"

Jarkel was sweating as if he was rethinking this whole thing. "No, boss, I just thought you could hear my lady out."

"I am not your lady!" Mara growled with a stomp.

Cross barked out a laugh as Jarkel's face fell. "I think you forgot, moron, I don't do favors. So you all can fuck off now." He waved them away, a line of smoke following his hand.

Jaheem stepped forward, his hand covering the slash in his blood-soaked suit. "But do you do business?"

Mara sighed in relief as Jaheem walked to the center of the room.

Cross turned to Jaheem and studied the rich gold piercings on his face, the gems on his hands, and the patterns on Jaheem's shaved head. "A Rivaini. Interesting." He flashed a gold-toothed grin. "I'm listening."

Jaheem gestured to Leandra. "This is my legal secretary and we are both working on a huge civil rights case. That tape you have is key evidence to prove my client innocent of a murder he didn't commit."

"Really?" Cross said incredulously. "Do you know what's on the tape?"

Leandra blushed furiously, feeling vulnerable and naked. She didn't want anyone else to see what was on it, but she wasn't sure what her other options were at this point.

Jaheem cleared his throat. "I have an idea," he muttered. In a louder voice he said, "Regardless of what's on it, I would be interested in making a deal with you."

Cross' head bobbed. "Alright. Guess I was going to release it soon anyway. Hawke has been flaky the last couple of shipments."

Jaheem blinked, dumbfounded. "He is an employee of yours?"

Cross smirked, placing a hand over his mouth and gasping theatrically. "You didn't know?"

"Nyumee, please guide me." Jaheem pinched the bridge of his nose, wincing, and then flashed Leandra a cold glare. "Did you not think that was relevant information to disclose?"

Leandra shrank, fiddling with a tear in her skirt nervously. "I didn't think it would come up!"

Actually, she'd hoped it would never come up.

Cross chuckled deeply, seeming to enjoy this. "I could part with a copy of the tape… for the right price, that is."

Leandra's stomach dropped, knowing she already couldn't afford the price with what was left of her savings, nor could she imagine her parents consenting to any large withdrawals from their accounts.

Jaheem was already bringing out his checkbook. "How much do you want?"

Cross grinned greedily, his gold teeth shining. "Fifty thousand sovereigns."

Leandra's eyes bulged in surprise, knowing the price would be steep, but not that steep.

Jaheem glared and he lowered his checkbook. "You don't seriously think I'll pay that much."

Cross shrugged casually, tugging on his black leather jacket. "You asked how much I wanted. Besides those gems you got on your knuckles are clearly enchanted and that's not even counting all the gold you're wearing. I'm sure you can swing it."

Jaheem's jaw twitched. "I was hoping you'd be reasonable."

"That would be a mistake," Mara muttered with an eye roll.

Cross breathed out a plume of smoke in Jaheem's face. "Well, I guess this evidence isn't as important as you claim. I don't mind keeping it to myself."

Jaheem sighed bitterly and reluctantly started writing the check.

Cross laughed and pointed with his cigar. "Actually, add another zero to that sucker."

Jaheem clenched his pen. "I'm not an ATM." He handed the check to Cross.

Cross snatched the check and snorted in disbelief. He waved it in Jaheem's face. "This is fifty sovereigns! You're insulting me, now. You want to die?! Where are the rest of the zeroes?"

"That's as many zeroes I managed to write down before you pissed me off." Jaheem cocked his head glaring down at the dwarf, his once warm dark cocoa eyes oddly cold and empty like a void. "It's more than generous considering I'm letting you all live."

Cross chortled boisterously. "Man, you got balls coming into my home turf and threatening me." He snapped his thick fingers. "I think I'll have my boys fill you all with holes and I'll loot that shiny jewelry from your corpse."

He whistled sharply, his lieutenants drawing their guns at Jaheem and the others. Jarkel stepped back and drew his gun and reluctantly pointed it at Mara.

Jaheem nodded to Lanelle. "Now."

Lanelle grinned, her sharp fangs dripping with her own blood. "Sleep," she commanded with a warped voice.

The lieutenants and Jarkel all fell to the ground like they were dead leaving Cross all by himself.

Cross stared in disbelief at his fallen comrades, his cigar falling out of his mouth. "How? Dwarves resist magic!"

Lanelle licked her glowing finger, sealing her tongue wound closed. "But are not immune." She spat a wad of blood at Cross' feet.

Jaheem drew his crystal gun from his pocket and waved it around casually as he circled Cross.

The dwarf's eyes followed it, seeming to recognize how dangerous it was.

"I'm giving you one more chance," Jaheem's voice was low and menacing. "I'm running a bit late, so I can't go rummaging around your office all day. Take my offer. Give me the tape, and I'll happily go on my way."

Leandra's nerves were a tightened string about to snap. She wasn't sure if she could handle another fight. This side of Jaheem frightened her, and she was utterly dizzy with confusion about her revelations about Mara. Nothing made sense anymore.

Cross snorted derisively. "Guess you won, didn't you?" He stuffed the check in his pocket and strolled behind his desk, rummaging through some folders. But then his hand reached under the table and pressed a button.

A slot opened up on the floor beside Jaheem. A ball of lightning floated to meet him. It sparked dangerously, arcing towards the group.

Lanelle cast a barrier with a wave of her spear as Jaheem punched at the orb. His sapphire ring flashed and a brilliant blue light encased the lightning, caging it in a bubble. As the lightning arcs hit the barrier's skin, the energy dispersed into particles of light, fizzling out and dispelling harmlessly.

Leandra trembled. She was sure she would have been fried, if not for Jaheem. She had never seen such an enchantment before, though she didn't know what kind of enchantments existed in the first place.

"My turn," Jaheem growled. He aimed his crystal gun at Cross with a snarl and pulled the trigger.

A beam of light crackled at Cross. His jaw went slack and his eyes widened in surprise. The glass case exploded behind Cross, showering him with shards and alcohol.

"Do you think I'll miss again?" Jaheem's nostrils flared. "The tape. Now!"

Cross gritted his teeth and with shaky hands typed some things into his computer and clicked his mouse. After a few moments, a CD popped out of the drive. He placed it in a paper sleeve and tossed it to Jaheem.

"You've got what you want. Now get the fuck out!"

—

The spirits of the Fade kept calling to Malcolm. He could hear them requesting his attention, but when he tried to fall asleep, Meredith would just slap him back awake. Malcolm tried to force himself to sleep anyway, but his nerves were like an overstrung harp with Leandra wandering Darktown. His mind kept going to morbid places, panicking about all the things that could go wrong.

The spirits in the Fade clamored at him for a while, but eventually, they quieted. Their silence was odd and disturbing. He tried to take it as a good thing.

Meredith's voice droned on, an annoying gnat buzzing in his ear.

"It doesn't matter what your little whore shows to the judge. I have plenty more evidence that damns you." She grinned gleefully. "You're finally going to get what you deserve."

Malcolm tried to breathe evenly, telling himself to keep his head, but he found a growl rumble at the back of his throat as she insulted Leandra.

Meredith stared pointedly at her watch. "The judge will be calling us soon. Do you think your slut will come back? She seems like the ditzy type, the kind that would get lost."

Malcolm knew Meredith was saying that specifically to get under his skin, and unfortunately, it was working.

"Maker," he groaned heavily, making a show of plugging his ears. "You just love the sound of your voice, don't you? Do you ever shut up?"

Meredith's blue eyes flashed coldly in a glare. "What did you say, elf?"

Malcolm scowled through the bars, just as riled. "You deaf? I said shut the fuck up!"

Meredith unlocked his prison cell and threw the door open. "Come here and say that to my face. I'd love to rearrange it."

Malcolm laughed flippantly, as he leaned back on his bunk. "How's that going to look for the cameras?"

Meredith clenched the bars of the prison door, shaking in anger. "That doesn't mean I won't punish you later. Just wait…"

Malcolm wasn't worried. It didn't matter how this trial ended. He was just waiting for an opening to flee with Leandra. He would make sure they were on the next boat to Fereldan and away from this chaotic mess.

Suddenly a security guard popped his head in. "Knight-Captain, it's time to bring the defendant back to the courtroom." He blinked in surprise to see Meredith looming over Malcolm threateningly.

She grabbed Malcolm from the cot, yanking him to his feet, and pulled him out of the cell by the scruff of his suit.

Meredith marched him back to the courtroom where Lady Amell, Lady de Rutia, and the press were already gathered and waiting patiently.

There was no sign of Leandra or Jaheem.

Lord Amell was in the audience and locked eyes with Malcolm as he passed. He glared crossly, his pale face going red with anger.

Meredith shoved Malcolm into his seat. His chair screeched as he was pushed sideways.

With a sadistic smile, Meredith stared at the empty seats next to Malcolm. "Told you she got lost."

She sauntered away, taking her station in the corner.

Lady Amell glanced at Leandra's bench and bit her lip. She checked her phone with a look of concern, her brown skin paling.

Soon the bailiff came in to announce that Judge Coklan was returning. Everyone stood up in respect, except Malcolm. He clenched his fists, so worried about Leandra that he couldn't even get amused by the judge's name.

Judge Coklan nestled down in his throne and nodded to everyone else. "You may be seated." He chose to ignore Malcolm's insolence for once.

A chorus of feet shuffled as everyone sat down.

Judge Coklan squinted through his glasses at Malcolm's side of the room. "Your counsel appears to be missing, Serah Hawke."

"Uuuuh," Malcolm drawled, unsure of what to say. "Give them a moment. I'm sure they just got caught in traffic."

The judge scowled in disapproval. "I abhor tardiness. If your counsel can't respect my time, I see no reason for us to be here."

Madelina stood up. "Then I move to dismiss the case."

"Wait!" Malcolm cried out. "Would it kill you to give them fifteen minutes?"

The judge raised his gavel. "Your counsel was given a generous amount of time already. Case dis-"

But before he could finish his sentence Jaheem, Leandra, Mara, and a massive Qunari woman burst through the door with a loud bang.

"We're here!" Leandra announced, gasping heavily, clearly not used to running.

She looked a mess with her face covered in grime, sweat, and splatters of blood. Her silky hair was tangled. Her skirt-suit was dirty and ripped in several places.

Jaheem looked even worse. There was a giant gash splitting open his navy blue suit so you could see his bare chest underneath with a fresh pink scar. His suit was coated with dust, and stained with dark blood. "Sorry," he bowed his head to the judge. "We ran into some heavy traffic."

Malcolm's stomach seized at the sight of Leandra looking so ragged. He knew he should have never let her go into Darktown. He was afraid something like this would happen.

The audience gossiped amongst each other as Leandra and Jaheem hurried to their seats.

Mara and the strange Qunari woman sat down in the back of the room, watching carefully.

Lady Amell looked just as panicked as Malcolm to see Leandra in this state. She reached out to say something to Leandra, but with court in session, Bethann thought better of it and stayed silent.

Leandra seemed rattled by whatever she just experienced. She was trembling, her eyes rimmed red and her mascara a little runny as if she had been crying. She was absent-mindedly picking at a run in her black stockings, making the tear even deeper.

Malcolm leaned over to her and whispered in a tight voice. "Are you alright?" His heart was pounding in panic.

She blinked out of her daze and smiled, though it was clearly forced. "I'm fine. Worry about yourself."

But that was impossible for Malcolm.

Judge Coklan squinted at Jaheem's tattered bloody suit. "What in the Maker's name happened to you?"

"Er, yes, uh, just a bit of trouble getting the evidence. I apologize. I would have changed, but I didn't have a spare suit in my car." Jaheem laughed awkwardly and straightened himself up as best as he could.

The judge sighed raggedly. "Very, well. I'll let this disrespect slide for now." He held out his hand expectantly. "And where is this compelling evidence you promised me?"

Jaheem rummaged through his front pocket, produced a paper sleeve, and placed it on the judge's desk.

The judge opened it up. He adjusted his wire glasses and saw that it was a CD. He snapped to the bailiff. "Bring out the TV."

Leandra balked, her face tomato red. "Must you watch it in front of everyone, your Honor?"

Judge Coklan frowned. "Is there a particular reason I shouldn't?"

Jaheem cleared his throat. "From what I understand, it's a private moment between my client and Lady Amell. It might be prudent to move this to some more discreet chambers."

Malcolm hid his snicker behind his hand, causing Leandra to kick his chair. She gave him a searing glare warning him to be quiet.

The judge scoffed, rumbling his pudgy cheeks. "Private or not, it's evidence that needs to be reviewed. You've wasted enough of my time. We watch it now, or not at all."

Jaheem gritted his teeth, debating if he should argue this.

Leandra's head fell into her hands and she hid her red face looking like she wanted the floor to swallow her.

The bailiff dragged in a sleek flat silver TV from a side room. He turned it on and static crackled on the screen.

The judge handed the CD to the bailiff where he inserted it into the player slot.

Then the screen immediately filled with Malcolm and Leandra's sweaty half-naked bodies. Malcolm's animalistic grunts and Leandra's mewls echoed across the courtroom. Her hot pink strappy party dress was bunched at her waist, her legs spread wide on the dirty bathroom counter as Malcolm slotted himself between them, clenching her thighs, his pants at his ankles. Her breasts bounced as he pounded into her, her peachy nipples erect in arousal.

The courtroom was in an uproar as the cameras zoomed in on the images on the screen.

Leandra's mother paled, going white as a sheet.

Her father promptly fainted into a woman dressed in all black.

Then the Malcolm on the TV screen pulled out of Leandra, flipped her around, and bent her over the bathroom counter. Before he could plunge in again, the bailiff stopped the tape with a bewildered expression.

Leandra's mother leapt to her feet, trembling in fury. She seethed at Malcolm looking ready to strangle him. "What have you done?!"

The judge was completely crimson, his watery brown eyes wide in shock, and he seemed to regret not listening to Leandra and Jaheem's request. "This is really your evidence, Serah Omenma? This is- This is immoral pornography!"

Jaheem chuckled nervously, walked up to the bailiff, and snatched the remote. He clicked a few buttons and helpfully zoomed in on the screen so it was just baring Leandra's thigh. Embossed in the corner was the date clearly printed.

"As you can see by the time-stamp, this was taken on the 29th of Wintermarch at 1:03 am. If you review Matthew Marks' autopsy file, his time of death was marked around 1 am, so therefore my client couldn't have committed his murder."

Madelina stood up to argue but Lady Amell's fury burst out in an explosion. "That doesn't matter! This doesn't clear the elf for the murder of Arth Elliot!"

"No," Jaheem agreed with a nod. "But it does strongly suggest it." He seemed in his element again as he circled the room with a finger in the air. "Both victims were desiccated through large stomach wounds, organs devoured. That's a very specific modus operandi. Unless you're suggesting there is a second killer working in tandem with my client." He narrowed his eyes at Lady Amell. "And if you are, I would very much like to see the evidence."

Lady Amell's blood-red lips twisted in a scowl, about to argue further when the judge interrupted her.

"I've seen enough." He rubbed his eyes as if they were scarred. "File the 'evidence' away to verify the authenticity, and bring in the next witness."

Malcolm raised his hand, his handcuff jingling. "Before you do, can you burn me a copy?"

Jaheem facepalmed, muttering curses at Malcolm in Rivaini.

Leandra growled and swatted the back of his head. "Malcolm! Be serious!"

"I am serious," he smirked, rubbing his sore scalp.

The judge stared dully at Malcolm, seeming completely done with his antics. "Do you think this is funny, young man?"

Malcolm hunched his shoulders, feeling Leandra's and Jaheem's foul glares. He twisted his lips as he fought a smirk. "Nope," he lied. "Shutting up now."

Leandra sunk into the bench, holding her hot cheeks in utter humiliation. Everyone was staring at her, including her venomous mother.

Malcolm on the other hand was feeling rather pleased with himself. Now everyone knew his claim on Leandra. No one could deny the evidence that they were together, couldn't deny how he could please her like no other man could.

He crossed his arms behind his head as the crowd hummed behind him, gossiping about what they had just seen, as they waited for the next witness to appear. The bailiff rolled the TV back into the side room where it came from, and pocketed Malcolm and Leandra's sex tape.

Malcolm glanced at Jaheem as he sat down next to him and found the man looking ragged and tired, especially in his tattered suit. He had his head in his hands, massaging his sore temples.

"Nice work." Malcolm nudged Jaheem. "Can't imagine nabbing that tape was easy." He smirked, wondering if Jaheem was trying to get the image of Leandra and Malcolm's intertwined bodies out of his brain.

"No, it wasn't," Jaheem confirmed with a sigh. His voice sounded utterly exhausted. "But I have a feeling the real battle is just beginning." He flashed a dark glare at Malcolm. "So stop running your fucking mouth."

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm not an idiot."

Jaheem's thick lips thinned skeptically but didn't say anything else.

Soon enough a mousy brown Templar shuffled in with a Tranquil mage. The crowd turned, hushing to gasps at the sight.

Malcolm was too busy thinking about the tape Leandra and he made in the nightclub. He had been quite busy with his free time confiscating as many copies from the Carta dwarves as he could. He destroyed everyone he found, but now he regretted that. He wondered if Cross had a copy left. Did he have time to snag it before he bolted with Leandra?

Malcolm was so busy musing to himself, that he didn't notice someone had taken the witness stand.

The bailiff didn't bother to make the Tranquil take oath of truth. What Tranquil would need one?

The judge turned to the Tranquil. "What's your name, son?"

A deadpan voice said, "Charlie Espinoza."

Malcolm suddenly felt the breath had been knocked out of his lungs entirely. His heart iced over. He turned, gaping at the Tranquil on the witness stand, his pointed ears drooping.

All the life had been stripped from Charlie's face, replaced by an ugly Chantry sun branded on his forehead. He stared at Malcolm coldly with no recognition or love.

Malcolm trembled in fury. He wanted to cry out, scream, but his voice was stolen by grief and shock. His chest tightened up until it closed, his breath stuttering in his throat.

He was completely frozen, in denial of what was happening. He searched Charlie's face for any signs his friend was still present, but Charlie's brown eyes were like a void.

The judge nodded at Madelina and she sauntered up to the witness stand, grinning victoriously.

"So," she turned to Charlie. "Who are you to Malcolm Hawke?"

"He's my best mate. We grew up in the Circle together. Some might call us brothers."

It sounded like something Charlie would say, but the inflection was off, his tone completely lifeless.

Malcolm clenched his fists. He was ready to destroy everything and everyone. His shoulders shook in outrage. Why would the Knight-Commander choose now to Harrow Charlie?

But in the back of Malcolm's mind, he knew. The spirits had tried to warn him, tried to call for him in the Fade. He was too distracted by this trial to come to Charlie. He was supposed to have helped Charlie, but he failed him.

And it broke Malcolm.

Madelina zeroed in on Charlie. "So, I take it you know all of Hawke's dirty secrets. Can you tell us some?"

Jaheem gritted his teeth, trying to prepare for what was to come, knowing it was nothing good.

Charlie stared blankly at Malcolm and in a slow methodical voice said, "I know he wet the bed until he was thirteen. I know he's been sneaking hair thinner into the First Enchanter's shampoo. I know he sings in the showers when no one's watching and will pee in the drain instead of walking to the urinal. I know where all his secret nap spots are when he ditches class-"

Jaheem stood up and cried out, "Objection! Is there any point to this line of questioning or is the Tranquil here to embarrass my client?"

Malcolm flinched at the callous way Jaheem referred to Charlie, realizing in horror this wasn't a sick nightmare. He stared at his quivering hands, blaming himself for not preventing this. He fought the tears burning in his eyes, but they burst from his throat, making a puddle on the desk.

Madelina offered an apologetic glance at the judge before rephrasing her question. "Charlie, has Malcolm done anything illegal to your knowledge?"

Charlie nodded. "He once tried to leave a bag of lyrium in my room so I suspect he's a dealer."

Madelina grinned in delight as the audience buzzed. "So he's a drug dealer preying on the Templars?"

Malcolm's shoulders slumped, knowing he wouldn't come back from this.

Jaheem repeated in a calculated voice, "Objection. We have no idea why my client had that lyrium if he even had it at all. If you're going to make such an inflammatory accusation, I'd prefer some harder evidence than a Tranquil's statement."

"What's wrong?" Madelina made an exaggerated scoff. "Everyone knows Tranquils can't lie." She raised her chin in a smirk. "But if you want something more solid than that, a few Templars have come forward admitting that they were Hawke's customers, so don't worry. I'll get you that evidence."

Jaheem sighed raggedly and sat down. He twisted his lips and placed his clenched fists on the desk, knowing defeat was imminent.

Malcolm thought things couldn't get worse when Madelina turned back to Charlie. "I take it that's everything."

"Not everything," Charlie said with a slight shake of his head. "He's also a somniari."

"I'm sorry, what?" Madelina's face was blank with shock.

The audience chattered in horrified excitement at this revelation.

And just like that, Malcolm's worst secret was dragged into the light, condemning him.

Malcolm was shell-shocked with disbelief. He felt hollow, empty. Nothing mattered anymore.

Charlie was gone.

With tear-filled eyes Malcolm spotted Meredith in the corner watching him with rapt attention. She was grinning smugly, savoring his pain.

All his fury bubbled to the surface and he snapped.

Malcolm jumped to his feet, lunging over the desk towards Meredith. "This is your fault, you heartless bitch! I'll kill you! I won't rest until I see the life drain from your eyes!"

Jaheem tried to hold Malcolm back and quiet him down but the damage was done. Malcolm flailed violently, droplets of tears flinging from his cheeks as he savagely screamed himself hoarse, the pain cracking his voice.

Leandra joined Jaheem, trying desperately to calm Malcolm, but he wasn't hearing anyone anymore.

Judge Coklan cowered at the sight of Malcolm. "That elf is an abomination! I'm ordering his immediate Tranquilization!" He banged his gavel and then dashed out.

Meredith stormed across the room and grabbed Malcolm by the throat, tearing him away from Leandra and Jaheem.

Malcolm snapped at her like a rabid dog, but she slammed him into the desk with her superior strength, grappling him firmly.

Another Templar grabbed his other arm and started dragging him away.

Malcolm was vaguely aware that Leandra was calling after him, but he was too disoriented to understand her. All he could see was Charlie's dead-eyed stare.

Suddenly cameras were shoved in his face, as reporters asked the Templars and him questions, but Meredith ignored them all and pushed forward, intent on going straight back to the Circle.

Leandra continued to chase after Malcolm, dragging Jaheem behind in desperation as if he could do something to stop this.

The Templars carried Malcolm outside, heaving him down the steps. He glanced back at Leandra, seeing the helpless tears in her eyes.

He knew his luck finally had run out. The Templars would carve out his heart until he was an empty shell like Charlie.

Malcolm didn't think the Maker could be any crueler when a loud bang echoed from the rooftops across the courthouse.

Leandra screamed in terror, sprayed with fresh blood.

Jaheem collapsed beside her, his head gushing from a sniper's bullet.