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"This is Zara Renata?" Rook asked, her voice filled with surprise as she stepped into Emmrich's room. The space felt heavy with the unspoken tension that hung between them. Zara's body was laid out on a cold marble slab, a chilling contrast to the warmth of the room. Despite the time that had passed since it had been moved here, the body hadn't decayed much. It was as though it had been frozen in time, unmarked by the ravages of death. The transition from the church to the lighthouse should have had a greater effect, yet the corpse lay in strange stillness.
Teia had delivered Zara's body to the eluvian, saying the Crows would handle the church and everything left behind in its halls. Daisy had thanked her quietly and brought the body here, to Emmrich's room in the lighthouse, where the truth of what happened would unfold. But Daisy almost forgot what Zara had looked like before. The memory of the blood mage seemed distant, overshadowed by everything that had happened after. "Lucanis... Illario must have really lowered his standards if he was involved with her," Daisy murmured, eyeing Zara's form. The body was naked, the skin caked in old, dried blood that clung to the limbs and torso like a second skin. The stark whiteness of her hair, tangled and wild, and the wrinkles etched into her face made her look as though she had aged decades in just a matter of days. They had seen her once when they had first entered the bathing pool. She had been stunning then—beautiful, even.
Now, she looked like an old hag.
"I don't know what Illario was thinking," Lucanis said, his voice filled with a mixture of confusion and bitterness. "But Zara spoke to him before she died. She knew something. We need to understand." His dark eyes flicked to Emmrich, his expression growing more tense.
Emmrich, standing at the edge of the room, nodded with a grim look. "I won't offer my assistance unless I'm certain it's safe," he said, his voice firm. Emmrich stepped forward, his hands clasped before him, his posture solid and unwavering. Slowly, he took a deep breath, and the air around him seemed to stir, filled with an unsettling energy. Necrotic magic swirled faintly as he waved his hands over Zara's body. "Let flame rekindle your sight. Let breath and light rise again." There was a pause, then Zara's body twitched. A dry, wheezing breath escaped her lips, unsettling and unnatural. She inhaled again, the air rasping through her lungs as if she hadn't taken a breath in years. "Tell us about Illario Dellemorte," Emmrich commanded, his tone cold and commanding.
Zara's eyes flickered open, glassy and empty, staring at them as if she wasn't truly seeing them at all. But still, her voice broke through the silence, hoarse and strained. "Amatus...fooled us both."
Lucanis's face tightened, fury bubbling up inside him. "Elaborate," he demanded, his voice low, though the anger was unmistakable.
Daisy stepped closer to Lucanis, placing a hand gently on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. She could feel his muscles tense under her touch, but he didn't pull away. His rage was like a storm waiting to break. "You took what he wanted most in this world," Zara rasped, her lips curling into a wicked smile. "More than coin... pleasure... family..." She paused, letting the words hang in the air like a poison before delivering the final blow.
Lucanis's face drained of color. The words hit him harder than a physical blow. His gaze shifted to the floor, and he clenched his fists at his sides, fighting back the overwhelming surge of emotion. "The title of First Talon," his voice tight and heavy with the weight of the revelation. His stomach twisted, the implication of Zara's words settling like a stone in his chest.
"Jealousy is a powerful motivator for murder," Daisy observed, her voice quiet but laced with the sharp edge of understanding. It had always been clear that Illario's ambition had no boundaries, but hearing it confirmed—that he would go this far—struck a deeper chord.
Lucanis's mind seemed to be racing, trying to piece together the chaotic threads of what he had just heard. "I thought he cared enough to grant me a quick death. Why imprison me and risk everything?" He shook his head, his voice hoarse with confusion. Zara's response came almost immediately, her tone dripping with sick amusement.
"Ah... an improvisation on this one's part... you had too much potential to die so young." There was a twisted satisfaction in her voice, and Daisy couldn't help but reach for Lucanis's hand, her pulse quickening with unease.
"And Caterina... did Illario hire you to kill her?" Lucanis asked, his voice strained with the weight of another question.
"No," Zara answered simply , the word hanging heavy in the room.
Daisy's brow furrowed with a thought that had been gnawing at her. "Illario used blood magic to control Spite," she said, her voice full of disbelief. "How? He's not a mage." There was something else in the air now—an eerie tension that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She felt it—Illario had done something far more dangerous than they had realized.
Zara's gaze shifted, a faint gleam flickering in her glassy eyes. "Our risen god gives many gifts," she said cryptically.
"Elgar'nan?" Daisy asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The words left her lips before she could stop them, and the shock on Emmrich's and Lucanis's faces mirrored her own disbelief. "Illario is working with Elgar'nan? " The room seemed to freeze for a moment as though time itself had stopped in response to the magnitude of Zara's confession. Both Emmrich and Lucanis looked at her, stunned and speechless, processing the gravity of what Zara had just revealed. Her voice was faint now, and her words seemed to trail off with the finality of death itself.
"Her spirit is strong. Haste... would be appreciated. " Emmrich, his expression unreadable, stepped forward once more.
With a subtle wave of his hands, Zara's body gave a final, violent twitch before falling silent—forever. The necrotic magic in the room dissipated as quickly as it had come. "I've heard enough, " Lucanis muttered under his breath. He turned away from the body, his face pale and drawn, his thoughts distant. Emmrich nodded, his expression one of quiet understanding. "Let her go, " he said softly but firmly, as if releasing Zara from the unnatural hold of necromancy.
Daisy, sensing Lucanis's turmoil, stepped closer to him. "I'm sorry, Lucanis, " she said quietly, her voice filled with sympathy.
"So am I, " Lucanis replied, his words thick with regret and unresolved fury. He looked up at her for a brief moment, then turned toward the door.
"What are you going to do? " Daisy asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Lucanis lifted her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles before letting it fall gently back to her side. "Take everything away from him, " he said, his voice cold with determination. With those final words, Lucanis turned and walked out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the lighthouse hallway until the silence swallowed them. Daisy stood there for a moment, looking at Emmrich, silently asking him what she could do to help. But he simply shook his head, his eyes filled with the understanding that Lucanis needed to process this on his own.
There was nothing more to be done for him—Lucanis would need time to find his own path forward.
~oOo~
Two days later, Lucanis asked Daisy to meet him in his room after dinner. Those two days had been the longest she had ever felt between them. Ever since they had spoken to Zara's corpse, Lucanis had withdrawn into himself. He had always been reserved, but this was different—he was distant, unreachable. His silence was heavier, weighted with something unspoken, something Daisy wasn't sure she knew how to fix. She even went to Emmrich, asking if he'd heard from Spite. But there had been nothing. That worried her even more. When dinner was over, the dishes were cleaned, and the fire in the lighthouse was rekindled, Daisy finally made her way to Lucanis's small pantry room. The space was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of coffee and something faintly spiced—maybe cinnamon or cloves, though its warmth didn't quite match the mood in the room.
Lucanis was seated on his bed, his back straight, his movements measured as he poured himself a cup of coffee. There was an air of quiet exhaustion about him, something almost fragile beneath the surface of his usual control. When Daisy stepped inside, he glanced up briefly before looking back down at his cup, fingers curling around it as if grounding himself in the warmth. "Everything alright, Lucanis? " she asked gently, hesitating near the door.
"Viago and Teia sent word, " he said, his voice quieter and rougher than usual. He took a slow sip of coffee before continuing. "They have information... about Illario."
Daisy took a few steps closer. "What kind of information?"
"Whatever it is, they won't put it to paper. They want to meet away from Treviso, away from anyone who might be listening, " he answered, his tone edged with something unreadable.
Daisy frowned slightly. "Are they sure about the information?"
Lucanis didn't answer right away. He took another sip from his cup, staring at the dark liquid as if it held some hidden truth. When he finally spoke, his voice was tight, restrained. "If they are, then the information is good. " His jaw clenched for a moment before he exhaled slowly. "I need to meet with them as soon as possible."
Daisy studied him carefully. The tension in his shoulders, the way his hand tightened slightly around the cup—it all spoke of something deeper, something he wasn't saying. She wanted to comfort him, to find the right words, but what could she say? There was no easy fix for this. So, instead, she simply nodded. "Pick the time and place, Lucanis. We'll go right away. " She tried to smile, hoping to ease even a fraction of his burden.
"Tomorrow night at the Cobbled Swan in Minrathous, " he said without hesitation. "That'll be far enough away. " He stood, running a hand through his dark hair, his movements almost restless. His eyes flickered over his shoulder like he was searching for something that wasn't there.
Daisy watched him for a beat before nodding again. "I'll bring Neve. She needs to go back to Minrathous to tie up some loose ends anyway, so we'll make a day of it."
She turned to leave, but just as her hand brushed against the doorframe, his voice stopped her. "Daisy… " She turned back toward him. His gaze met hers for the first time since she'd entered the room, and in that brief moment, something in his expression softened—just slightly, just enough. "Thank you, " he said. Daisy offered him a small, warm smile. It wasn't much, but it was real. Then she left, closing the door quietly behind her.
Daisy hated Minrathous.
It was a city of contradictions—grandeur and squalor, power and oppression, magic and decay. The buildings that should have crumbled long ago were held together by sheer force of will and powerful enchantments, but even magic couldn't mask the city's rot. In the poorer quarters, filth clung to the streets, and the air carried the ever-present scent of unwashed bodies, stale alcohol, and something acrid that always burned the back of her throat. Above it all, the high towers of the magister elite loomed, casting long shadows over the cramped homes of peasants and slaves. The disparity was impossible to ignore. The mages lived above the suffering of the lower classes, removed from the filth, hunger, and desperation. It had always unsettled her, how stark the divide was. How little those in the towers seemed to care.
She adjusted the hood of her cloak, pulling it a little lower over her face as she and Neve wove their way through the city streets. It had rained earlier, leaving the cobblestones slick and the gutters clogged with stagnant water. A woman sat hunched against a crumbling wall, her clothes threadbare, a thin child curled against her side for warmth. Daisy glanced away, swallowing down the familiar knot of frustration in her chest. Neve had grown up in cities like this—where wealth and power were hoarded by the few, and the rest were left to fend for themselves. Although from a privileged background, Daisy tried her best not to be like those who see themselves above others. Still, it never got easier to see.
"I forgot how much I hate this place, " Daisy muttered under her breath. Neve cast her a knowing look as they stepped over a particularly large puddle of something she didn't want to think too hard about.
"We do what we can with what we're given. We'll make a difference. " Neve answered her as they got closer to where they needed to meet the Threads about Docktown. Daisy let out a breath of amusement, but the sentiment rang true. She didn't just hate Minrathous. She despised it.
But she wasn't here for vengeance or to fix what had been broken for centuries. That will be to completely remove the venatori, which will be no small feat. She was here for Lucanis. And if Viago and Teia truly had something on Illario, then she would endure the filth, stink, and oppressive weight of Minrathous for just a little while longer.
Tonight, at the Cobbled Swan, they would get their answers. And then, they could finally start to take something back.
~oOo~
The Cobbled Swan was quieter than Daisy had expected.
Tucked away off one of the smaller docks, the bar was dimly lit and smelled of old wood, pipe smoke, and stale ale. The walls were lined with shelves of dusty bottles, some filled with liquors that had probably been sitting untouched for decades. A few patrons sat scattered throughout the room, nursing drinks and murmuring in low voices, but for the most part, the place was empty. Just the way Viago and Teia had planned it.
Daisy's boots barely made a sound as she stepped inside, her eyes flickering over the room in quiet assessment. A single bartender stood behind the counter, cleaning glasses with a rag that looked like it had seen better days. A few dockworkers sat near the entrance, sharing a drink and a hushed conversation. No one paid them much attention.
In the far corner, Viago and Teia waited. They were seated at a small, round table, their expressions unreadable. Viago was sitting upright, his eyes monitoring the room with quiet precision. Teia sat beside him, hands wrapped around a half-empty glass, her sharp eyes scanning the room even as she took a slow sip. Lucanis didn't speak as he walked past Daisy, his stride measured, controlled. He was better at hiding his emotions—better than most—but Daisy knew him well enough to see the tension in his shoulders and how his fingers flexed once at his sides before settling again. He was holding himself together, but barely.
Viago's eyes flicked up as they approached, and a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Took you long enough."
"We made sure we weren't followed, " Lucanis said flatly as he pulled out a chair and sat down. For now, Daisy followed, keeping her hood up, the low candlelight casting shadows over her face.
Teia exhaled, setting down her drink. "We didn't want to risk putting this in writing, " she said.
Lucanis's jaw tensed. "Then tell me. What have you learned? You found something about Illario?"
Viago exchanged a glance with Teia before leaning forward, his smirk fading into something more serious. "Possibly."
Lucanis's fingers curled against the table. "What do you mean 'possibly'? You have something, or you don't. " Daisy sat beside him, silent but watchful, already bracing herself for whatever was coming next.
"It's Caterina. " Teia's words hit the table like a dropped blade—sharp, final.
Lucanis barely had time to react before Viago quickly interjected, his tone measured but tense. "We don't know that for certain. " But even as he spoke, his eyes met Lucanis's, and something in his posture shifted. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw before continuing, more carefully this time. "I've got eyes on Villa Dellemorte. One of them brought back a ring."
Lucanis went still. "A ring?"
Viago nodded. "One of Caterina's."
Daisy frowned, watching Lucanis's expression shift—confusion, disbelief, something deeper, something raw. "It had been thrown out with the trash, " Teia added, her voice quieter now but no less urgent. "Illario would never do that. He'd pawn it or keep it as leverage if he had it. This wasn't carelessness."
Daisy exhaled. "You think Caterina threw it away on purpose? A message that she's inside the villa?"
Teia leaned forward suddenly, locking eyes with Lucanis, her voice pressing like a weight against his ribs. "Her opal ring, Lucanis. You know what it means!"
Lucanis's breath hitched. Daisy turned to him, searching his face, confusion evident in her expression. He swallowed hard, his jaw tightening before he forced himself to explain. "She gave that ring to my mother," he said, his voice low, almost strangled. "It was the mark of her favor." Daisy's stomach twisted at the way his fingers clenched into fists against the table. "House Velardo killed my parents and sent it back to Caterina as a demand—surrender the seat of First Talon or suffer the consequences." He exhaled sharply, shaking his head as if the pieces of this nightmare were finally clicking into place. His voice was barely more than a whisper. "She's alive." Lucanis pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, his breath uneven. "Illario, you idiot."
A heavy silence settled over the table, thick with the weight of what this meant. "We need more eyes in the villa to be sure, " Viago said cautiously, but his voice lacked its usual certainty. Even he knew this was too much to ignore.
Lucanis's mind was racing, but all he could see was the ring—Caterina's ring—discarded like refuse. It made no sense. How? How could she be alive? What was Illario thinking? How had he kept this hidden? "Illario would tear the city apart if he's lost this, " Lucanis muttered, his gaze flicking to Daisy as if searching for something solid, something grounding. His voice wavered, almost breaking. "How could she be alive? What is he thinking? How am I supposed to deal with this?"
Teia slammed her fist onto the table, startling a few nearby patrons. "We need to plan a rescue! The sooner we get Caterina out of there, the better."
Viago, ever the pragmatist, rested a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm. "It could be a trap, Teia. We have to deal with Illario first."
"Merda, " Lucanis swore under his breath. "If we move against him and he realizes what we know, he could still kill her. " His fingers curled tighter against his palms. "Maker knows what's in his head."
"Vi, you're too damn pessimistic for your own good, " Teia snapped, glaring at him. Then she turned back to Lucanis, her eyes fierce, pleading. "Reason with him, Lucanis. We can't leave her there. We can't let Illario keep her."
Lucanis took a slow breath, forcing himself to steady the storm inside him. Daisy could see it—the war between rage and caution, between vengeance and the need to be sure. "I thought I had a clear shot at my target! What if I go after him and get Caterina killed? "
"You won't; we'll think— " Daisy started to say when Lucanis's hand suddenly gripped her tightly. When she locked eyes with Lucanis, she found that Spite was in control.
" Help us. "
"How? What do you need, Spite? How can I help? " Daisy asked.
"He'll listen. He always listens to you! " Spite spoke, his grip becoming even tighter. Daisy put her hand over his own, squeezing back. " Come. " Spite rested his forehead against Daisy's, a bright light flashed before her eyes.
When Daisy opened her eyes, the world around her had changed.
The Cobbled Swan was gone—replaced by something vast and gray, a realm that felt both familiar and strange. Coral reefs lined the crumbling hallways, their eerie glow casting long shadows against the stone. Water pressed in on all sides, held back by an unseen barrier, the magic shimmering faintly, as if struggling to hold its shape. Daisy inhaled deeply, the air thick and heavy. This place felt wrong… but not frightening.
It felt like a puzzle she had yet to solve.
Her fingers trailed along the cold, damp walls as she took a step forward. "What did you do? Is this the Fade? " she asked, her voice laced with curiosity rather than fear. "Everything... seems different. " She walked slowly , taking in the twisted familiarity of the space. "It isn't like those fragments of Solas's past in the Crossroads, either."
"Lucanis is here. Always." The voice behind her sent a thrill through her chest—not of fear, but of recognition. Daisy turned, her breath catching in something close to excitement. Spite stood there, watching her. He looked like Lucanis, but not quite. His skin was deep violet, his entire form pulsing with an intense energy. His grin was sharp, wicked, and knowing—his glowing eyes flickering like embers. Daisy had spoken to Spite before—had felt him lurking beneath Lucanis's skin, had sensed his presence in every whispered thought and shared moment. But now? Now, they were face-to-face for the first time. And Daisy smiled.
Without hesitation, she stepped toward him, reaching up to cup his cheek. His skin was warm—too warm, like sun-heated stone. And yet, he didn't flinch away. Instead, he leaned into her touch, pressing his face into her palm like he had been waiting for this moment . "Hello, Spite. " Her voice was soft, almost teasing.
Spite's grin widened, something almost pleased flickering in his glowing gaze. His hand came up, covering hers with deliberate slowness, pressing her palm against his cheek like he was savoring its warmth. " Hello, sunshine. "
Daisy let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head at the nickname. Hearing it from Spite instead of Lucanis was strange, but in a way, it made sense.
She had always known Spite was there, just beneath the surface: a shadow, a whisper, a presence bound to Lucanis by blood and magic. Dangerous, yes—but Daisy had grown fond of him. Not love. But something deep. And she knew—in his own way, Spite was fond of her too.
But now was not the time for that.
"Where do we start? " she asked, lowering her hand. Spite straightened, his smile never faltering. Without hesitation, he took her hand and pulled her forward. They moved together through the ruined halls, stepping over shattered stone and broken iron chains. Shadows flickered at the edges of Daisy's vision—ghostly voices whispering, calling, clawing at the edges of her mind. She ignored them, focused only on the path ahead.
And then it clicked.
Her breath caught, a deep chill running through her. "This is the Ossuary. " Her voice was quiet but firm. She turned to Spite, her brows furrowed in realization. "The prison we freed Lucanis—and you—from."
Spite let out a low, amused chuckle. " ' Freed? ' No. " His voice curled like smoke in the cold air, thick with something unreadable. "We've always been here."
Daisy exhaled slowly, shaking her head. "Right. It's not the real Ossuary. But it doesn't seem like a memory either. " The cold pressed deeper into her bones. "Lucanis is in here somewhere, right? " she asked carefully. "He's... what? Where they kept his blood?"
Spite's grin sharpened, his fingers tightening around her hand.
"Yes! Go there. But. The locks. Everywhere. I can't touch them."
His frustration was palpable, a low growl twisting in his throat as he pulled Daisy forward, deeper into the ruins of a place that should no longer exist.
"But how do I get past the locks? " Daisy asked, half-joking as they moved through the ruined, coral-lined halls. "Do I turn myself into a mouse? Fight a bunch of crazed Chantry ladies as a flaming skeleton?"
Spite let out a low, amused hum, but stopped so suddenly that Daisy nearly collided into him.
"By getting past the guards. " His grin widened, eyes gleaming like slivers of violet flame. "It's a prison."
Daisy huffed, rolling her eyes. "Right. What was I thinking?"
The two pressed forward, stepping through the fogged, fractured remnants of an eluvian—its frame cracked and flickering with unstable light. As she crossed the threshold, the air shifted, thickened—and when her feet touched the floor, Daisy knew this place. The hallway stretched ahead, broken and half-drowned, leading to the room where she first met Lucanis. A voice echoed above, coiling through the darkness like smoke. Zara. Her taunts, cruel and cutting, still haunted the air like a specter refusing to be laid to rest. Even in death, she lingered—her venom burrowed deep into Lucanis's soul.
Daisy clenched her fists. She was glad that bitch was dead. But it sickened her that Zara's voice still reached him, haunted him, and held him in place. The room, however, was empty—eerily so. Only a single red crystal gleamed in the center, casting fractured light against the walls. The sight put Daisy on edge. "Nobody's here."
Spite stepped closer, his presence coiling around her like a whisper of smoke. " Of course not. Rook can't be here. "
Daisy turned to him, brow furrowing. "Me? Why not?"
Spite's eerie grin didn't falter as he looked her in the eyes. "You open doors. You don't close them. " Something about the way he said it struck deep, settled into her bones, settled into her heart. She opened doors. Lucanis saw her as someone who unlocked paths, carved out futures, and gave him something beyond the chains of his past.
Her breath hitched slightly. "Oh, Lucanis, " she murmured, her voice carrying the weight of something too large to name. Without hesitation, she lifted her staff and brought it down on the crystal. It shattered in an instant, the shards disappearing into the floor like vanishing stars. The door groaned open, and Daisy stepped forward.
The air was thicker here, colder. It was a storage area, just as she remembered— the place where they had fought the failed experiments Zara had discarded like broken tools. The room was eerily still, dust swirling in the air. Daisy's fingers ghosted over a table where she and Lucanis had once fought for survival. And then she saw them.
Scattered across the surface—faded notes, ink bleeding into the worn parchment. She picked up the first. A name caught her eye.
Lucanis's mother. Her ring.
The words were brief, clinical. The ring had been a message. A mark of power. A loss too great to put into words. Another note—scribbled in rushed, uneven writing. "Illario and I were more than friends, more than allies. We were brothers. When we were sent to our grandmother, we were all that remained." Daisy swallowed hard. The ink smeared beneath her fingers as if resisting her touch. The last note—barely legible, the words almost fading before she could finish reading. "I don't know what to do."
A weight settled in Daisy's chest.
Before she could dwell on it, the note slipped from her fingers and dissolved into nothing. A figure appeared at the threshold. Daisy froze.
A short but imposing woman stood before the door, her cane tapping softly against the cold stone. Her presence was as commanding as a storm rolling over the sea. "Rook, did you forget our deal? " Her piercing gaze settled on Daisy, unwavering. "You were to bring my grandson back to me. "
"I did, Caterina, " Daisy spoke with a firm voice.
The woman's expression darkened. "You brought me an abomination!" Caterina's grip on her cane tightened, her voice carrying a sharp edge of accusation. "Where is my grandson?!" Caterina demanded, angrily tapping her cane against the floor, her eyes flickering to Spite.
Spite moved past Daisy, inhaling deeply. His grin widened as if he could taste the air itself. "Tenderness and terror, " he mused, his voice lilting like a song. "Rage and relief. And old, stale fear of disappointment."
"This is the Fade. " Daisy crossed her arms in front of her. "She is no spirit I can sense, so she must be what Lucanis feels, correct?"
" Lucanis. Is. Mine. They wouldn't dare. Ideas. Thoughts. Feelings. "
Daisy turned back to the woman, "Caterina, Lucanis is trapped. You are part of his way out. He thinks he disappointed you. With that chaining him, he can never be free. "
Caterina's fingers twitched against her cane. "Is that what you want? To release a demon?! " Caterina demanded, and Daisy walked closer.
"You called him that. You were the first to put that name to him. But you know he is not to blame. You know that as well as I do. " The words landed like a knife. Caterina stiffened. Her lips parted—as if to argue, as if to deny it—but no words came. Her form wavered, cracking at the edges like ice beneath too much weight.
And then—She vanished. A soft, broken whisper echoed through the air, barely more than a breath— "My poor boy. " Then, nothing. The room was silent again. Daisy let out a slow breath. She lifted her staff once more, bringing it crashing down on the second crystal.
Daisy stepped forward, and suddenly—she was not alone.
Harding stood before her, sharp-eyed and unyielding. For a moment, Daisy could only stare. She remembered this. The Ossuary. The escape. The tension in Harding's posture, the skepticism in her eyes. Back then, Lace hadn't been the most approachable when they were dragging Lucanis out. And yet, here she was. "Don't worry, Rook. I've got eyes on the prisoner. " Her tone was clipped, professional—but her gaze snapped immediately to Spite, narrowing with suspicion.
Daisy's stomach coiled with unease. Lucanis conjured up a friendly face. That meant he was still here. Still listening. She took a deep breath and raised her voice, hoping it would carry through the Fade's twisted halls. "Lucanis! Your real friends need you in the real world!"
The illusion of Harding didn't waver. Instead, she crossed her arms, planting her feet. "Rook, are you sure Spite isn't tricking you? " Her words were pointed , edged with doubt. "What if there is no Lucanis—only the demon?"
Daisy's eyes flashed with defiance. "And how many times have I told you the difference between what you call a demon and a spirit? " She took a step forward, voice steady, unwavering. "Determination was twisted into Spite, but not to the extreme of desire, rage, or despair. " Her breath hitched slightly, but she kept going. "A year in the Ossuary… anyone might start believing they're no longer who they once were. But Lucanis— " she clenched her fists, "you are still you. Spite or no Spite."
Harding—or whatever piece of Lucanis had conjured her—tilted her head, arms widening as she gestured to the broken, coral-infested ruins around them. "Look around you! This isn't the mind of a human being, let alone an Antivan Crow!"
Daisy snorted. "If one were to take a look inside my mind, would they expect sunshine and daisies? " She caught herself and, despite everything, laughed at her own awful joke. "No pun intended. " The illusion didn't laugh with her. Daisy's smile faded. She softened her voice, but not her conviction. "You're still the man you were, Lucanis. Even under all that pain. No supposed demon would punish themselves like this."
The illusion took a slow breath, lips pressing into a thin line. "You shouldn't trust anything you find in the Fade, Daisy."
Daisy didn't even hesitate. "I trust you, Lucanis. And I trust myself to bring you home. " She took another step closer, eyes searching for something—anything—beyond the illusion. "Please. Let me in."
Harding—no, Lucanis's fear—sighed, tilting her head with an exasperated roll of her eyes.
"You know that kind of attitude will get you killed, right?"
Daisy's lips curled into a faint, almost sad smile. "If you're by my side, Lucanis, I don't fear death. " The words hung between them. Heavy. Unshakable. She swallowed hard, voice barely above a whisper. "If I did… I'd be waiting on the other side for you. " The illusion froze. For the first time, uncertainty flickered across Harding's face. And then—she shattered. A rush of air filled the space where she had stood. Another red crystal gleamed in her place—but only for a moment. Daisy didn't hesitate. She lifted her staff and struck. The crystal exploded into dust, fading into the nothingness around them. The door ahead creaked open.
Daisy exhaled slowly. One step closer. One step closer to bringing him home.
When Daisy saw Neve standing in the next room, her heart lurched—not with fear, but something uglier, quieter. A feeling she hated. Jealousy.
It was stupid, really. They had talked about this already—tipsy, out of their minds, words spilling out easier than they ever would sober. And yet, standing here, facing Neve again, it was like those feelings had found a place to hide, only to crawl back to the surface now. Daisy had no reason to feel this way, not after her talk with Lucanis in the kitchen, not after the flirting between them had stopped. But still, sometimes Neve would give her those knowing looks, nudge her playfully whenever Lucanis was near, like she could see straight through Daisy's heart. And when Lucanis looked at her, really looked, with that damn puppy-eyed devotion that made her chest feel light and unbearable all at once—Maker, it was so much worse. And now, here Neve stood, smirking at her in his mind, in this twisted, hollow version of the Fade, as if she had the right to decide who he belonged with.
" People come in three kinds. Family. Enemies. Contracts. " Spite answered before she even had a chance to ask why Neve didn't look more Tevinter.
"You know how he is, Rook, " Neve said, that ever-present smirk tugging at her lips, eyes gleaming with something Daisy didn't trust. "Even if you open the door, Lucanis won't walk through it."
Daisy clenched her fists. "Not unless I shove him through it. " But even as she said it, her breath hitched, her resolve wavering for a fraction of a second.
Neve's expression softened, her head tilting slightly. "This is where he wants to be. Why not let him stay? Here, he can't hurt anyone. "
" As if I will allow him to stay here! " Daisy snapped, stepping forward, the weight of her anger and frustration pressing down on her ribs like a vice. "I'm not leaving until I know Lucanis is alright. I refuse to give up on him just because he's hurting or being stubborn! " She tilted her head back, shouting into the nothingness, into whatever twisted part of Lucanis's mind was keeping him locked away. "Lucanis, if you hear me, you are in so much trouble when I get my hands on you!"
Spite let out a delighted, throaty chuckle. "Oooh, that will be fun to watch. " Daisy whipped around, her glare so sharp it could slice through the Veil itself. Spite only grinned wider. Neve disappeared like the others; the crystal she left behind lay in pieces on the ground as Daisy continued on.
She was hoping—aching—for Lucanis. But when she saw Illario standing at the bottom of the ledge, smiling up at her with that same insufferable charm, all she wanted to do was kick him in the teeth. "Daisy... " Illario purred her name, smooth as silk, but it sent a shiver down her spine—and not in a good way. "You're too good to be wasting your time in a place like this. " He stepped forward, reaching up as if to brush a strand of hair from her face. But his fingers passed right through her, like mist. Daisy's breath caught. Something about this was wrong. Illario's smirk didn't falter. "Forget about my cousin. You've got much more important things to worry about, don't you ?"
Beside her, Spite let out a low, hissing growl. "Sharp. Jagged edges. Hurt with every breath. Grief and relief. Hope and anger. Mixed."
Daisy reached out, squeezing Spite's arm in reassurance before stepping forward, steel in her voice. "Lucanis, you don't owe Illario a second thought—much less a supporting role."
"HE. PUT. US. HERE!" Spite's voice cracked like a whip, reverberating through the air, filled with a fury that Daisy felt in her bones.
Illario barely spared Spite a glance. Instead, he turned his piercing gaze back to Daisy, his expression cool, calculating. "You've got to leave this be, Rook, " he said, his voice dropping to something almost…gentle. "You turn my cousin loose; it's only going to cause more grief."
Daisy scoffed. "Grief for who? " Her anger surged, burning away the creeping unease in her chest. "You're the one who brokered a deal with a corrupted mage calling themselves a god! You— " She jabbed a finger toward him, expecting it to pass through like before—except this time, it didn't. Her fingertip pressed against his chest, solid and real. Illario's smile faded. "—You slept with a blood mage to kill your own cousin. Family would never do that. " Daisy finished, her voice low, seething.
For the first time, Illario looked shaken. Not for long, but enough. "Did you know, " he murmured, "that Caterina had five children? Eight grandchildren? " His voice was distant, almost hollow. " All dead . Except for Lucanis and me. " Daisy's breath hitched. She hadn't known. She hadn't known that Caterina had lost so much. That Lucanis and Illario had lost so much. Illario let the silence stretch, his gaze unreadable. Then, slowly, he continued, "The last time the Crows fought a war for succession, House Dellamorte lost everything. Except for the seat of First Talon. This time, we fight ourselves. " His lips curled, his sadness shifting into something darker. Something cruel. "What will be left then? " Daisy didn't answer.
Couldn't.
Illario took another step closer, his voice dropping to a whisper as if sharing some dark secret. "You think you'll survive? Your friends? Your cause? " Daisy swallowed hard. "Lucanis... there might not be another way. There will be a confrontation, and it might not end well. " Illario let out a harsh, bitter laugh. "A year. " He shook his head. "A year he spent in this hole. In darkness. Dreaming of escape. Just to come home and kill his only family for a job he never wanted. " His next words sliced straight through her armor. "Do you really think he made a deal with a demon? He's not even a mage. " Illario tilted his head. "Or do you think, maybe, he just found one there already? " Daisy's heart pounded. "He'll carry this prison with him forever, " Illario said, his voice now dripping with certainty, the weight of a curse unspoken. "And given time? He'll fill it with corpses."
Daisy opened her mouth to reply—but Spite beat her to it, his voice a low, guttural snarl. " We. Need. OUT. "
Daisy exhaled slowly, steadying herself. Then, she locked eyes with Illario, her voice firm, unyielding. "You're an Antivan Crow, Lucanis. A professional. Trained to avoid collateral damage and go after the real target. " Illario's expression flickered—something unreadable in his eyes. Then, without another word, he vanished into white smoke. The room fell silent. Daisy let out a shaky breath. "Whatever the consequences, Lucanis... " she murmured. "I'll be there to help you."
She turned toward the last crystal . One last door.
Daisy didn't hesitate. Not for a second. As soon as the last crystal shattered, she was already moving, her boots kicking up dust as she rushed forward. The door creaked open, revealing Lucanis standing in the middle of the room. For a heartbeat, Daisy just stared, barely able to breathe. He looked the same, and yet... not the same. The shadows clung to him like a second skin, his usual sharp posture weighed down by something heavy, something unseen. His expression was blank, but his brown eyes flickered—like he wasn't sure if she was real or another cruel trick of the Fade. She didn't care. She ran to him. With no hesitation, no doubt, no fear, she threw her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder, the scent of leather, steel, and something uniquely him filling her senses. For a moment, he didn't move. Then, slowly, hesitantly, his arms lifted—and wrapped around her. Daisy felt him tremble. A barely-there shudder, like a man trying to hold himself together when he was already breaking apart. She squeezed him tighter.
"You're here, " she whispered, voice breaking, her fingers gripping onto his coat like he might disappear if she let go.
Lucanis exhaled deeply, his breath warm against her hair. His grip on her tightened, his voice low, raw, almost disbelieving— "What are you doing here?"
"I had to find you. " Daisy's voice was soft but unshakable. Her hands cradled Lucanis's face, her fingers brushing against his warm skin, grounding herself in the reality that he was here, that he was real. "If anything had happened to you... " her voice faltered, thick with emotion. "I don't even want to think about it."
Lucanis closed his eyes, leaning into her touch as if it was the first warmth he'd felt in forever. "You should go, " he whispered. "Leave me. It's better that I stay here than risk losing you. " Daisy's breath hitched.
"You see? He breaks. Our agreement!" Spite hissed, his presence pulsing like a living wound beside her. "His mind. It is still here. He wants. To stay here. So he keeps. Me here!"
Lucanis's deep brown eyes snapped open, his jaw clenching as he turned toward Spite. " Mierda! Why would I want to stay? Even in my own head, this place is a nightmare! " His fingers dug into Daisy's arms, gripping her with the force of his frustration. Daisy didn't flinch.
"Lucanis, you're right. This is a nightmare... " she said, her voice gentle yet unwavering. Her thumb brushed over his cheek, sweeping aside a lock of dark hair. "But it's a defeated one. " Lucanis stared at her, his expression unreadable. She took a breath, her chest tight. "I understand that as bad as the Ossuary was, it was still better than what was waiting for you outside of it."
His brow furrowed. "And what was waiting for me?"
Daisy swallowed. "The Ossuary, Zara—those problems were real. They were clean, something you could cut away with a blade. " Her gaze softened. "But living again? Healing? Learning to live with Spite? " She shook her head. "That's uncertain. That's dangerous. And if you fail... " Lucanis's hands tightened into fists. "You could hurt the ones you love. Your friends. Your family. " Daisy looked up at him, eyes shining with raw honesty. "You could hurt me . " A flicker of something—fear, regret, longing—passed through his eyes. "You'd rather stay here, in the dark, in pain, than risk that, wouldn't you? " she whispered.
Lucanis let out a shaky breath and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Damn it, Daisy..."
Spite suddenly yanked on Daisy's arm, his grip childlike , desperate. " Make. Him. Leave! " he demanded, voice sharp with frustration.
Daisy turned to him, calm but firm, her free hand covering his. "He's trying, Spite, " she said gently. "But it's complicated. Mortals don't just change the way spirits do. It takes time to heal... or to break. " Spite growled, but didn't pull away.
Lucanis exhaled deeply, his shoulders sagging. "You're right, Daisy. But I... I don't even know where to start. It's just... too much."
Daisy stepped closer, her fingers finding his, lifting his hand to her lips. "Start small, " she murmured against his skin. "You and Spite. Figure out a goal you both agree on, then make it happen."
" A contract ? " Spite perked up, his sharp, eager tone cutting through the tension.
"Contracts are for clients, " Lucanis muttered, rubbing his temples. "Call this... an alliance."
"But on what terms?"
Daisy grinned, her fire returning. "Lucanis, you just learned your grandmother is alive. If I found out someone I loved was still out there, I'd be fighting tooth and nail to get them back."
Lucanis blinked, the weight of that truth settling in. Spite tilted his head. " Fighting Crows? "
"And anyone else who gets in our way, " Lucanis muttered, his golden eyes flashing with determination. He turned to Spite and held out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"
Spite let out a low, delighted cackle and clasped Lucanis's hand. " Together. We will fight. " A ripple of purple light coiled around their joined hands, spiraling up Lucanis's arm as Spite faded into him, and their connection solidified once more. Lucanis shuddered, inhaling sharply as the magic settled. " Thank you, Daisy, " Spite's voice whispered, softer now, less jagged.
Daisy exhaled, her heart pounding. "Good, " she said, grinning up at Lucanis. "Now, real quick, before we leave... I have the courage to do something."
Lucanis raised a curious brow. "Oh? " Daisy smirked—and before she could overthink it, she rose onto her toes and pressed a quick, featherlight kiss to his lips. Lucanis stiffened in shock. For a single, perfect second, there was only warmth. The scent of him, the tension in his shoulders, the feeling of something on the edge of changing forever— And then, all at once, the world vanished.
Daisy barely had time to register the distant, echoing cackle of Spite before she was ripped back into reality— Back in the Cobbled Swan, the scent of ale and wood smoke rushing back in. And she swore— she swore —she could still feel the warmth of Lucanis's lips lingering against hers.
~oOo~
By the spirits above and below, Daisy swore the redness in her cheeks would never leave her. Ever since they'd come back from Lucanis's Fade-mind-nightmare, she could hardly look him in the eye. It wasn't that she couldn't—she absolutely could—but every time she did, she remembered. He remembered. And then there was that glint in his eyes, mischievous and knowing, the kind that made her stomach flip. They would both look away like teenagers caught passing notes in class, pretending nothing happened, pretending their hearts weren't still racing from that one tiny, fleeting, life-changing kiss. And her face—her cursed, traitorous face—would burn so hot that she was convinced she could fry an egg on her cheeks. The heat rivaled the roaring fireplace in the kitchen, and if someone so much as hinted at the moment, she might actually combust on the spot.
It didn't help that Neve had noticed the day after.
"Oh, you're adorable, " she'd said, nudging Daisy with an infuriatingly smug grin. "What did you do to the poor man to make him look at you like that?"
"Nothing! " Daisy squeaked too quickly. In her answer, two butterflies escaped her, causing Neve to laugh, and Lucanis—who'd just been passing by—paused for a fraction of a second. His ears tinted pink before he cleared his throat and fled in the opposite direction like a man escaping certain doom. Daisy groaned, burying her burning face in her hands.
She was never going to survive this.
Daisy trusted that Lucanis had a plan—for Illario, for what came next, for the moment they found their opening to rescue his grandmother. But as much as she trusted him, Illario's words lingered in her mind, curling around her thoughts like creeping ivy. She thought about their family. About what Lucanis never said outright but always hinted at—the brutal training, the unforgiving trials, the way the Crows broke people down until there was nothing left but obedience and blood on their hands. His grandmother, the formidable Caterina Dellemorte, had beaten him with her cane, had sacrificed her own children to remain First Talon.
Lucanis's parents.
Illario's parents.
Gone.
At first, Daisy didn't like Illario because she knew he was hiding something. And she'd been right. But the reason behind it… Maker's breath. It wasn't just cunning or ambition. It was survival. Desperation. A grandmother who should have loved them, who should have protected them, had instead shaped them into weapons no different from the blades they carried. Eight grandchildren… six dead. Daisy swallowed hard, a tight ache forming in her chest. Children should be children for as long as possible. They should run through fields without fear; they should be reckless and foolish and safe—not trained to kill or be killed before they even understood what life was. With everything in her, she believed this was not what their parents had wanted for them. If they had lived, they would have fought—tooth and nail, with everything they had—to give Lucanis and Illario a chance at a different life. A life where they were more than just the last two standing in a family that had been carved down to its bones. She wondered if Lucanis had ever let himself imagine that kind of life. If he had, would it have made it hurt less? Or only worse?
The next time she met Illario, she would see him differently. Not just as an enemy. Not just as Lucanis's traitorous cousin. She would look at him the way she looked at a lost child or a runaway teenager who had survived only by being too scrappy, too stubborn to die on the streets. Because, in a way, that's what he was, wasn't he? A boy who had been forced to grow up too fast to make choices no child should ever have to make. What would she find behind his eyes?
Would it be hatred—cold and sharp, resentment carved so deep that no words could ever reach him?
Would it be fear—the kind that kept people caged, fighting like a cornered animal because they knew no other way?
Would it be sadness—heavy, unshakable grief for everything he'd lost , everything he'd done?
Would it be regret—a flicker of something fragile, something that could still be saved ?
Would it be… hope?
Hope.
That single word settled in her chest like a quiet ember. If Illario had even the smallest spark of hope left in him, Daisy would find it. She would not let it die. Caterina might have given up on him. Lucanis might be prepared to cut him down rather than risk another betrayal. But Daisy? Daisy believed in second chances. For Illario. For Solas. For any Venatori who had been misled, who had been used and abandoned by the very people they followed, how could the world ever be better than it was if no one believed in second chances? If she had to, she would extend her hand to Illario. And even if he didn't take it at first—even if he spat at it, cursed her for it—she would keep reaching for him.
Despite all her lingering thoughts about Illario, Daisy's mind was firmly on the present—the warmth of the kitchen, the comforting clatter of pots and pans, and the rhythmic chop of a knife against a wooden board. Focus on now. She stepped inside with a bright smile, hands on her hips as she took in the scene before her. "Oh, you started without me?"
Lucanis glanced up from where he was standing over the stove, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Paella. Well, two of them. One without seafood for Emmrich. " He wiped his hands on a cloth before turning to her fully. "And churros for dessert. They pair well with cioccolata calda."
Daisy's breath caught when she saw the way he was looking at her—like he knew exactly what that drink meant to her. Oh, by the spirits. Her heart stuttered. "Wait…you made dessert? For me? Really?"
Lucanis shrugged, feigning nonchalance, but the faint pink dusting his ears betrayed him. "There's enough for everyone."
"Yes, but you also made my favorite drink, and no one else's. " Daisy's voice softened as she looked down, suddenly feeling a little shy. "You didn't have to do anything special for me, Lucanis."
She barely had a second to process the way he moved , the gentle way his fingers tipped her chin up, guiding her gaze back to his. His touch was featherlight, but it burned all the same. "Yes, " he murmured, voice low, steady, certain . "I did. " Daisy swallowed, her heart a hammer in her chest. Lucanis's dark eyes held hers, a flicker of something unspoken passing through them. "I still don't know how to thank you. Or how to apologize for everything. And to you…"
"Lucanis…" Daisy let out a small, breathless laugh, trying to ease the sudden tension between them. "You should know by now that you're…special to me." His brows lifted slightly, something unreadable flashing across his face. "I'm the one who's always making desserts," she continued, grinning up at him. "And you made me one. That makes it special."
"It's nothing, " he argued, shaking his head. "Or…not enough."
Daisy didn't let him pull away. Instead, she reached up, cradling his face between her hands, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her palms. Lucanis stilled, his own hands instinctively covering hers, holding her there. "It is enough, " she whispered. "And you are enough. " Something in his expression softened, just for a moment. "And I'll have you know, I am very easily bribed when it comes to you. " Daisy giggled. " All you have to do is ask me with those puppy eyes of yours , and I'm already saying yes. "
Lucanis let out a short, incredulous laugh, his brow furrowing in mock offense. "I don't have puppy eyes."
Daisy grinned, leaning in slightly. "Oh, but you do."
His narrowed gaze held no malice—only mirth, only warmth. And perhaps, just perhaps…something more. "Good to know, " he murmured.
Daisy barely had time to react before Lucanis caught her wrist and pulled—a sharp, unexpected tug that sent her stumbling back into him. A startled gasp left her lips, but before she could say a word, Lucanis dipped her. Her heart stopped.
One arm braced securely around her waist, the other steadying her hand in his ; Lucanis grinned down at her, his expression a mix of amusement and something far more dangerous—something that made her breath hitch. "You're not leaving just yet, " he murmured, his voice velvet-soft , teasing.
Daisy's hands instinctively clutched at his shoulders, her head spinning. "Lucanis, what—?"
Then he kissed her.
It wasn't rushed . It wasn't hesitant. It was warm, slow, deliberate—like the first sip of wine after a long day, like the slow burn of a fire crackling to life. Daisy felt everything—the way his lips moved against hers, the way his fingers pressed into the small of her back, holding her steady. The world around them faded. The kitchen, the food, even the laughter she knew would soon fill the air—all of it disappeared. It was just him. Just them. When he finally pulled away, pulling them into an upright position, Daisy realized she had been gripping his tunic tightly, her breath coming in soft, unsteady waves. She stared up at him, her face burning hotter than the stove behind them.
Lucanis, ever the smug bastard, smirked. "You do blush easily."
Daisy groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I hate you. "
"You don't." He chuckled, prying her hands away gently, his thumbs brushing over her knuckles. His voice softened, turned sincere. "You never could."
She sighed, shaking her head with a small, helpless smile. "No. I never could."
Lucanis took a step back, releasing her, but the warmth of his touch lingered, sending shivers down her spine. "Now, " he said, his smirk still in place, "you can go get the others."
Daisy shot him a playful glare before turning on her heel, her heart still hammering in her chest. Oh, by the spirits, she thought, barely able to contain the giddy, bubbling laughter threatening to escape.
She was so in trouble.