Isabella sat at the dining table as Lucanis made her dinner. She had expected him to either tell her no or that there was food in the kitchen. Instead, he gave her a cup of coffee and set out to make another traditional western Antivan dish. She watched, nursing the hot drink contently. She had missed this while she was gone. While she didn't mind making herself dinner, there wasn't usually anyone to chat with or be with. To be near Lucanis again felt nice, and she would delve deeper into that feeling later. For now, she would just enjoy the moment.

Just as Lucanis placed the two plates down on the table, the doors flew open to reveal an overexcited griffon and an energetic skeleton. Assan nearly crashed into Isabella, who did her best to keep him down as she rubbed his face, greeting Manfred as well. Lucanis grimaced at the high-pitched hissing and repeated squawking, but Isabella couldn't be bothered as she grinned.

"Assan!" A rather tired voice called out, slowly catching up. Isabella glanced at Lucanis, both concerned and excited to see everyone again. She had sort of snuck in, but she would have greeted them if they were there.

Davrin walked through the doors with Emmrich and Neve, all seeming to have returned around the same time. Isabella held up her hand to wave as Assan placed his head in her lap while Manfred pointed at her enthusiastically. Her three teammates froze for a moment before Neve sighed in relief, jogging over to her.

"You scared us," Neve teased, hugging her from the side. Isabella chuckled, patting the detective's arm as the other two came in. Lucanis stood as he grabbed the pot and brought the food over to the table. It seemed that they were likely staying for dinner.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to sort my thoughts and clear my head. I promise, I won't disappear like that again," Isabella reassured solemnly as Neve stared at her.

"At least give us a better warning before you run off, alright? Give me a chance to talk some sense into you," Neve added, tapping Isabella's forehead.

"And please speak with me before you place all that responsibility on me," Emmrich continued with a chuckle. Isabella grimaced as she nodded.

"That was unfair of me. You're right," she relented before Davrin came up behind Neve. Isabella turned to the Warden as Assan chirped happily.

"I also wanted to apologize. What I said about the team was uncalled for and something I said when I was angry. I wanted you to know that I wasn't questioning the way you put the team together, just that we needed to be better. I want us to work harder together so we can take down Ghilan'nain. I'm sorry that I put your leadership into uncertainty," Davrin explained as Isabella grabbed his hand reassuringly.

"Thank you, Davrin. I appreciate it, and I agree. We do need to work together if we're going to take down the gods, and we can't do that if we break apart after failing a mission. We just need to figure out what that means," Isabella replied, glancing at the rest of the others. "I know we've been mostly doing things solo for our people, but I think we should start working in groups. Bring people that can help your factions so we can create something more cohesive."

"I think that could be a good start," Emmrich grinned.

"Speaking of which, I did want to talk to you about something, Rook," Neve mentioned as she sat next to Isabella. The Crow tilted her head in question as the detective pulled out a letter. "The Threads have reached out to me about a missing person. It's their boss, Makal Damas."

"The crime syndicate?" Lucanis added, concern lacing his voice.

"I have some contacts in there. You remember Elek," Neve reminded as Isabella nodded. "Damas was dragged out of the Cobbled Swan by some Venatori a few days ago, and the trail has gone cold. They're hoping I can find him."

"And you want me to go with you?" Isabella guessed as Neve nodded.

"I thought it might be a good way to get back into the fray," she replied enthusiastically. Lucanis frowned as he leaned on the table, clearly not thrilled at the idea. "We just need to find him, and the Threads will help us against the Venatori in Minrathous."

"More allies would be helpful," Isabella admitted with a sigh. "How are the Shadow Dragons fairing?"

"They're doing well, but they're spread a little thin. Even though we were able to keep the Venatori from seizing the throne, they have been adamant about getting it still," Neve explained with a sigh. "Which is why I think the Threads might be helpful as well."

"And we just need to find their boss?" Isabella clarified as Neve nodded. "As long as we're just finding him, I see no harm in helping. Especially if they're anti-Venatori."

"I'll send Elek a message then and let him know to expect us," Neve replied with a smirk.

"I'll help," Lucanis informed sternly as Isabella raised an eyebrow at him. He met her gaze briefly before staring at Neve. "Crows hunt people for a living. If we're looking for a person, then it would be best to have two Crows."

"Can't argue with that," Neve shrugged as Isabella smiled at him. She was glad that he still wanted to go out on missions with her. Plus, it had been a while since she had been to Minrathous.

"I would offer to go along, but Remi and Lancet wanted to check in on Assan's training," Davrin informed as Assan cooed at the Warden's names. Isabella smiled, glad that those two had survived as well. It was more likely that neither Remi nor Lancet were at Weisshaupt, but she was still relieved they were around.

"Bellara was going to show me Arlathan this afternoon, but I wish you three the best of luck," Emmrich informed before stepping towards Isabella, touching her shoulder. "I'll let you know the next time I return to Nevarra, if you're still interested in a Necropolis tour."

"That would be lovely, professore," she replied with a smile before Emmrich and Davrin took their leave, taking their respective wards with them. Isabella waved them off as Neve reached for a plate to join the two for the meal.

"When Lucanis said you would be gone for a few days, I hadn't expected you to return within the week," Neve mentioned, turning to Isabella. She shrugged, grabbing her coffee cup.

"Viago gave me a window of time for me to recuperate. While I'm sure he would've preferred that I stayed in Treviso, we both knew I couldn't abandon this team," Isabella answered. "I just needed to put some things into perspective and see what we have accomplished so far. We have come a long way, even if we did lose Weisshaupt. We just need to keep going."

"Viago give you that pep talk?" Neve wondered as Lucanis smirked.

"No, Vi doesn't really encourage. He berates and scolds, and you either argue or listen until you get the message," Isabella laughed, shaking her head. She paused a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "Illario actually gave me that bit of advice."

"My cousin?" Lucanis asked dubiously.

"He said it was something Caterina used to say. Being a leader isn't about how many times you fail, but how many times you get back up after a failure," Isabella answered, staring at Lucanis. He blinked at her unbelievably. "I think losing you and then losing Caterina really took a toll on him."

"You went to go see him?" Neve wondered as Lucanis stared at Isabella.

"Just for a moment. I needed a neutral party to talk to, and Viago is anything but neutral. I assumed that Illario would listen for five minutes and then distract me with whatever was going on in his life, like usual. Instead, he listened to me the whole time and offered advice," Isabella continued. Lucanis slowly brought his coffee to his lips, unsure what to say about it. "It was just a conversation over coffee. I just needed something normal."

"I don't blame you. With everything going on, it's been a lot," Neve agreed before taking a bite. Lucanis frowned, staring at Isabella.

"You went out for coffee?" he asked as she sighed.

"Just to Café Pietra, and I took precautions. I had my mask and hood, and I only used the rooftops. None of the Antaam saw me, and I was there for maybe twenty minutes. Maybe," Isabella informed, leaning back in her chair. "Viago argued with me about it for a while, and Illario knew as well. He had the place guarded by Crows the whole time."

"I thought you said that you didn't have time to go out with Illario," Lucanis mentioned as Neve froze. Isabella stared at Lucanis, surprised by his tone.

"Seems like I found time, didn't I? I went to have coffee with a friend, Dellamorte. I've told you before I have no interest in Illario, so you can push that far from your mind," Isabella spat before she inhaled, turning to Neve. "Anyway, we should talk about the Threads case before it gets too late. Did you want to head to Minrathous tomorrow?"

"I can set up a meeting by then, so that should work. I'll have you meet me at the Shadow Dragons' hideout tomorrow around noon, and then we can get started," Neve suggested before she stood. Isabella tilted her head as the detective grabbed her plate. "I'm going to finish up a few loose ends in my office if you need me. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright," Isabella replied, waving her friend off.

She watched as Neve walked out of the dining hall before turning to Lucanis with a glower, who happened to find his dinner more interesting. She folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, giving them a few moments of silence.

"Any particular reason you don't wanting me seeing your cousin?" she wondered, tapping her elbow impatiently. Lucanis exhaled before swallowing, lifting his head to look at her.

"Other than he's a vicious flirt that I've only known to be selfish? No," he answered, shaking his head. "I was only surprised that you had gone to see him after saying you didn't have time to meet with him."

"That was before I tried to resign," she reminded before sighing. Isabella stared at him, trying to figure out what to say. She had known Illario longer than Lucanis, and she probably knew him better as well. She knew well that he was a selfish person who used seduction to get his way and to finish his contracts. That was common knowledge among the Crows. "If you're worried that I'm going to get my heartbroken or something, you can take a deep breath. I truly don't harbor any feelings for Illario."

"So, it wasn't a coffee date?" he replied as she rolled her eyes.

"No, it was friends chatting over coffee. Maker, Luca," she hissed, rubbing her face. "What's gotten into you? Is Spite upset with you again? Is that what's going on?"

"Spite doesn't like you hanging around Illario, either, but what you were describing sounded like you went on a date with him," he replied as she stared at him. Lucanis grimaced, realizing how childish he sounded. "But you weren't, so I'll drop it."

"Would you have dropped it if it was a date?" Isabella wondered as he shrugged. She scoffed under her breath before she stood. "I'm going to bed, and I want you to think about what you want from me. When you figure that out, let me know. Until then, I don't want to hear you complain about what I do in my spare time.

"Thank you for dinner, though. It was delicious."

"Anytime, Isa," Lucanis replied as she glanced back at him, her gait faltering slightly. She nodded at him before slipping out of the dining hall.

Isabella stood in the eluvian room as she waited for Lucanis. She probably should have offered to help him sleep since she was gone for four days, but he was a grown man. He could either manage or ask for help if he needed it. She crossed her arms as she inhaled, her thoughts running amok.

She was glad to be back and to be welcomed so quickly. It seemed that everyone had missed her, even Assan and Manfred, which was comforting. Isabella had hoped that Lucanis would've said more about missing her while she was gone, but he just seemed his usual self when she reappeared. She didn't see any of the emotion that Viago talked about seeing at the Diamond, and Isabella wondered if maybe Viago was exaggerating it.

Isabella wanted to tear her hair out. A part of her just wanted to come out to Lucanis and confess her feelings towards him. Maybe that would help clear the air, but she still wasn't sure he felt the same way. The conversation last night certainly hinted that he might with his odd irritation with Illario's involvement. However, if she was wrong or it was too sudden, she really didn't want to ruin what friendship they had cultivated over the last few months. She thought it would be easier if he came to her about it, but she didn't think that anymore.

"Isa?" Lucanis called out, waving his hand at her. Isabella stopped her pacing, frozen in place. She didn't realize that she had started to walk in circles in her frustration. She faced him, clearing her throat. "Everything alright?"

"It's fine," she replied with a sigh. "Just overthinking, but once we get to Minrathous, I can focus on other things."

"If you're sure," he commented warily.

"Let's just find this crime boss, and then we can check in with everyone else. I wanted to check in with Davrin again to see how the Wardens are faring in Lavendel," Isabella mentioned, turning towards the eluvian. Bellara had briefly shown her how to switch to the active eluvians in the Crossroads, letting them travel faster between places.

"I'm sure they're doing fine," Lucanis offered, trying to be optimistic. The eluvian flickered to show the inside of the Shadow Dragon hideout.

"I'm sure you're right," she replied before stepping through.

The Shadow Dragons were as busy as ever, a few greeting Isabella as they walked by. She smiled at them before glancing around for Neve. It was good to see the Shadow Dragons working so avidly. The Venatori didn't have a chance, and Isabella hoped that she would be able to help more towards their goals as well.

As they wandered through the crowd, both the Crows sticking out like sore thumbs, they found Neve close to the shop's door next to the candlehop they kept close by. The detective waved them over as the Crows did their best not to disrupt the Shadows.

"Glad you could make it," Neve teased as Isabella smirked.

"Busy in here," she remarked as the detective hit a button that slid the door open.

"The Venatori are making a move, and I think it has something to do with Damas's disappearance. The Shadows are working on finding leads to why they're kidnapping people," Neve explained as they walked out onto the streets. Isabella raised an eyebrow.

"People? It's not just Damas?"

"No, there have been others in Docktown that have gone missing. Particularly those who the magisterium wouldn't miss, but both the Threads and Shadows have been affected. If we can find Damas, there's a good chance we can find a lead to the others as well."

"Then we should get going. Where are we off to first?" Isabella asked as Neve led the way.

"We're meeting Elek first. He was there the night the Venatori took him, so he will have some information we can go off to find him," she answered as Isabella nodded. Lucanis kept close at Isabella's side, keeping an eye out for any ambushing enemies.

"I hope he saw where they went at least. That could give us some clues."

"Agreed. Elek is usually reliable for intel, so we should be good. I'm sure he's also done his own investigation before he reached out to us."

Neve led them to a small bar a few streets over as Isabella wondered if she should've worn something more discreet than her Crow leathers. At least Lucanis was with her in his own Crow uniform, letting them both be rather noticeable. Inside, the bar was dim and mostly empty as Isabella could hear impacts farther in. It seemed like someone was being beaten up in the back. She turned to Neve, who held her scepter up in defense.

They walked further in to find Elek with a few Threads standing around a Venatori man, taking turns punching and kicking him. Elek perked up at their movement, and he smiled when he saw Neve. If he was pleased to see Isabella, she wasn't sure.

"Neve," Elek greeted, glancing back at the two Crows. "Glad you could make it."

"I see you have a friend," Neve pointed out, glancing at the barely breathing Venatori.

"He's been telling us where his friends took Damas," Elek replied with a smirk. "We saw him get taken towards the docks, but we didn't have a concrete area until now."

"I see," Neve hummed, tucking her scepter under her arm. "So, I'm guessing you have a better place for us to start looking for your dear boss?"

"Just past the Thread Market on the other side of town. We're guessing he's near the western docks," Elek replied as the Venatori groaned, earning a swift kick from a different Thread. Elek smirked at the Venatori's pain before turning back to Neve. "I'll send a man to let you into the market shortly, so you won't have any issues."

"Thanks, Elek. Hopefully we'll have Damas with us next time we meet," Neve mentioned before guiding Isabella and Lucanis out.

They could hear more impacts from the beatings followed by the Venatori's grunts. Isabella wondered if she should feel pity or sympathy for the Venatori, but she found that she had none to give even if she wanted to. Lucanis followed closely behind her, making sure that she was covered in case the Venatori somehow broke free.