Chapter 7 Confrontations

Tension were high in the dining room of the Lighthouse. Rook sat with her elbows on the table, her head bent down, resting in her hands as she listened to her team argue around her.

Davrin's deep voice spoke out, "Mortal or immortal doesn't matter if we can't get close enough. We had our shot at her and we missed."

"Say what you mean, Davrin. I missed." Lucanis said. She could hear the tightness in his voice. She knew if Davrin didn't blame him, Lucanis sure as hell blamed himself.

Harding, Maker bless her, tried to diffuse the situatio, "nobody blames you for that, Lucanis."

"Yeah?" Davrin interjected, "Maybe I do. This Crow has a demon inside him, right?"

Harding hesitated, "now that's not…"

Davrin contued, his voice getting louder, "How do we know we can trust him? Maybe the demon pulled his punches."

Rook lowered her hands from her face. She hated this fighting. She softly said, "stop."

Lucanis spat out at Davrin, "and you,Warden? What about the blight that runs through your veins? The same blight that Ghilan'nain commands so effortlessly."

"STOP." Rook yelled, slamming her hands on the table. Everybody in the room fell to a shocked silence. "Just… stop. Please. This isn't helping anything. Blaming anybody isn't helping right now. It is the opposite of helping. We need to stay focused and remember what we are doing here."

Emmrich cleared his throat, "We're all in agreement on point, Rook. But the question remains- how? We barely survived against one of the gods."

"I nearly had her," Lucanis softly lamented.

The older Mourn Watch mage nodded, "Nearly. But you and Spite are not of one mind, Lucanis. Fighting for control… it's no wonder you missed such a rare opportunity." He shook his head sympathetically, "A moment of inattention- a single lapse- could prove fatal. And the gods will allow no second chances."

Rook stood and took a deep breath. In a firm voice, she started giving commands to her team, "We must be ready for them. But we gotta find them first. Harding, can you send word to Evka? See if she has any rested scouts? The dark spawn that attacked had to come from somewhere. They can follow them back to where they came from. That can put us on the god's trails."

Davrin looked around the table and said, "Look, what happened at Weisshaupt… that was more than a distraction."

Neve nodded in agreement, "so is what they did at Minrathous. What the Venatori have done… what they're still doing."

Lucanis looked at her, "these are more than distractions, Rook."

Rook closed her eyes for a moment, preceding. She let out a breath, "I know… I know. Either way, we all need to step back. Clear our heads. Get rid of any distractions. Please."

Later that evening, Rook found her way to the larder. The door was open. She rapped her knuckles on the wall, leaning against the door frame.

"Lucanis? Are you in here brooding?," she asked, walking in. He was sitting on his cot, eyes staring daggers at the spot between his feet.

"I'm fine."

"That's not a no."

Lucanis raised his head to look at her, "I had her. She should never have gotten away from me. This was our contract, Rook. I don't fail my contracts."

"Forget about Ghilan'nain," Rook gently said.

"How? That's why I'm here!"

Rook moved to sit by him, "listen, I know, but…" grabbed his hand and clasped her hands around it, "I'm just happy you didn't get killed out there."

"You shouldn't go easy on me," he replied. "Mistakes get people killed."

"We're assassins," Rook retorted, "So do successes."

Lucanis looked at her, his eyes full of self-judgement, "I thought I still had this. Whatever else I am, I am a professional. After the Ossuary, I thought I could still take out a target. I need to work."

"You need sleep more than you need work, at this point, Lucanis."

Lucanis sighed, "you may be right."

Rook smiled, "of course I am." She paused, "it's not over. Just… take care of yourself, ok? I really don't want to loose my favorite person. After Teia, of course."

"Of course." Lucanis shook his head, "I was distracted. That cannot happen again. I need to get my head on straight."

Rook squeezed his hand once more before standing up, "Whatever you need to do."