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“Would you like to have coffee outside the dining hall? We could enjoy the view from here and get some fresh air. You’ll have a little time tomorrow, won’t you?”
Rook appeared in the doorway of the dining hall with bright eyes, saying the words just as Lucanis was finishing a pleasant conversation with Davrin after their reconciliation.
Lucanis knew she had been listening.
He couldn’t help but smile.
“Have coffee together, the two of you. I have something to take care of in Arlathan tomorrow.”
Davrin, who had likely already noticed the depth of Lucanis’s feelings for her, said this with a small wink meant only for Lucanis.
“I’ll join you another time.”
Outside the dining hall doors, Assan let out a series of impatient chirps, clearly sensing that his companion was about to leave.
“Your feather-covered little brother is waiting,” Rook said. “Seems he’s grown tired of being spoiled by everyone and wants something more exciting.”
“Here?”
“Apparently. Things like interrupting someone while they’re carving, or begging for treats and causing a Grey Warden trouble.”
“I see.”
Davrin shook his head with a long-suffering sigh, though there was amusement in his expression as he left the dining hall.
Rook watched him go with a smile, then turned back toward Lucanis with sudden enthusiasm.
Lucanis’s gaze followed the movement of her hair as it swayed, watching her as though she were something worthy of devotion.
“Is it all right if it’s just the two of us? Should we invite someone else?”
“No. Just us.”
His answer came too quickly.
Lucanis caught himself, but there was no point hiding it now.
“I’d like to enjoy it quietly. With you.”
He could not afford to waste an opportunity to show her that she was someone special to him.
“Really? Then... yes. Let’s do that.”
The firelight from the hearth caught against her silhouette, making her seem to glow.
When she noticed him staring, she tilted her head slightly.
“Lucanis...?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
He felt foolish for being unable to simply tell her how beautiful she was.
Still, he rose to his feet.
“Was there a small table somewhere? I’ll bring it outside near the back entrance.”
“The back entrance? Isn’t it a little narrow there? One wrong step and we’ll fall straight into the depths of the Fade.”
“A little danger never hurt anyone.”
The truth was, he simply didn’t want anyone interrupting their time alone.
But Lucanis only raised a brow and gave her a playful smile.
“Look forward to it.”
“I will. Your coffee is always perfect.”
Lucanis managed the calm, confident smile that years of training had taught him.
But when she smiled at him so openly and without hesitation, he found himself looking away before his expression betrayed him.
The following afternoon, the two of them sat across from each other at the small table as planned, sharing idle conversation and enjoying a rare moment of peace.
“Viago has always been someone I looked up to. Even that straight-laced man had a soft spot for me when I was young.”
“Haha. I find that very difficult to imagine.”
“It’s true. It’s not like he was smiling all the time, but he’d bring me flowers and all sorts of things. And he never said anything like, ‘Here, take it.’ Never. He’d just hold them out with that serious look on his face.”
She laughed.
“Can you picture it now? And whenever I wanted to hold his hand, he would take mine and walk with me.”
“That sounds like him. Perhaps not the most elegant display of affection, but I imagine it was sincere.”
“I wonder if he ever smiles gently in front of Teia.”
Lucanis breathed in the rich scent of the coffee he had brewed from freshly ground dark-roast beans. With a quiet sound of satisfaction, he gently placed the cup before her.
“A special blend, made for you. I hope it suits your taste.”
“Really? I’ve never had something like this before!”
She picked up the cup excitedly, then closed her eyes and took in the aroma of the coffee, imitating Lucanis.
The deep richness of dark chocolate was softened by a bright sweetness, a hint of something like berries.
So this was why he had spent all of last night in the kitchen, carefully adjusting the beans...
Lucanis watched her from beneath lowered lashes, waiting for her reaction.
Every time she saw this side of him—the quiet kindness hidden beneath titles like “mage killer” and “the demon of Vyrantium”—she found herself smiling.
He was Caterina Dellamorte’s grandson, a legendary assassin with countless stories surrounding his name.
And yet, when he stood in the kitchen, he became something entirely different.
A warmth in the middle of a life filled with blood and schemes.
Someone who could fill not only their stomachs, but their hearts as well.
Because of him, they could remember the small, ordinary beauty of everyday life—and end each day with a smile.
This thoughtful man seemed to be the type who offered kindness freely, yet became shy when that kindness was acknowledged.
At least, that was what she believed.
So instead of praising him with words, she chose to respond by simply enjoying the coffee, making it clear how much she appreciated the care he had put into it.Just enough that he could steal glances at her and smile.
But the truth was, Lucanis only failed to carry himself with his usual composure because it was her.
“Rook, why did you end up joining House de Riva?”Perhaps afraid of the silence that might follow, he asked.
But the moment the words left his mouth, Lucanis remembered the grim beginnings of the many fledglings taken in by the Crows.
He felt ashamed of his carelessness.
“No, if you’d rather not talk about it—”
“I was a slave. Belonging to a Tevinter noble who was killed by Viago.”
Despite Lucanis’s concern, she answered easily.
“He was a terrible master. I was always covered in bruises. He had… cruel tastes.”
“Rook,”
Lucanis’s expression softened.
“I’m sorry. You don’t have to continue.”
“But I’m all right now.”
She smiled.
“That’s not unusual for fledglings, is it?”
She took another sip of coffee, closing her eyes as she savored the taste.
“Viago appeared in my old master’s room.”
Her gaze drifted toward the sky of the Fade.
“The moment he realized what was happening, there was a flash. And then my master was dead.”
There was something almost peaceful in the way she spoke of it.
“That must have been a magnificent moment.”
The words might have sounded insensitive to anyone else.
But to another Crow, they carried a different meaning.
It was admiration for the artistry of eliminating a target swiftly and flawlessly. Pride in wielding a blade as the unseen force protecting Antiva, a country without the comfort of a formal military strong enough to shield it.
It was praise only another Crow could truly understand.
Rook felt a deep, quiet joy at receiving such familiar words from the legendary Demon of Vyrantium himself.
“If the me from a few years ago heard this conversation, she’d probably faint.”
“Why?”
“You’re a legend.”
She smiled.
“We all dreamed of climbing high enough that one day we could meet you and at least exchange a proper greeting. So we worked ourselves half to death…”
“You looked up to me?”
The words came out before Lucanis could stop them.
“Yes. You were someone the fledglings admired.”
Satisfied, she leaned forward and pressed a finger against his shoulder, laughing.
“I touched you! Lucanis Dellamorte!”
Only then did she seem to realize it was the first time they had ever truly touched.
At the familiar gesture and the gentle warmth of her hand, Lucanis’s heart began to pound.
For a moment, he wondered if his chest might actually break beneath the force of it.
“Now the two of us are sharing coffee together.”
With one arm folded and his cup still in hand, Lucanis somehow managed to find the words.
“So, after that, Viago tried to kill me too.”
The Crows were not an organization devoted to freeing slaves. They were, simply and purely, an assassins’ guild.
So it was only natural.
“Then there must have been something about you that made him stop.”
“Exactly.”
She nodded.
“I was trained as an assassin. My master intended to use me to execute his enemies...once I was no longer of his preferred age. And bound me with blood magic, of course, to ensure I couldn't cause him harm.”
“And then?”
“I just avoided his blade.”
She said it casually.
But Lucanis knew better.
That was no ordinary feat.
“But he still caught you.”
Lucanis looked at her from beneath his lashes as he reached over and refilled her cup.
“Yes. He cornered me against the wall, and I thought I was finished.”
She smiled at the memory.
“So I told Viago, ‘I refuse to die in the same room as that bastard.’”
A small laugh escaped her.
“Buying myself even a little more time meant I had a better chance.”
“Ha!”
Lucanis laughed.
“Then it seems you truly were meant to be here.”
She lifted her cup slightly in thanks, then breathed in the rich aroma once more.
“Do you think so? That I’m doing this well?”
“There is no one I can imagine handling this role better than you.”
In the comfortable silence that followed, their gentle gazes met.
“Arianna de Riva. I look forward to working with you from this day forward, Lucanis Dellamorte.”
She offered her hand.
Lucanis took it with the graceful motion befitting his family name.
“Likewise, Rook... Arianna de Riva.”
His voice was soft, smooth as fine velvet.
Ariana laughed, a little delighted.
“For a moment, I feel like a princess.”
Lucanis thought that if he could have kissed the back of her hand, it would have been even better.
But with the great task ahead of them, and with her carrying the weight of leadership, asking for such bold closeness was still a hurdle he could not easily overcome.
“By the way... your cousin.”
She tried to make her voice as casual and flat as possible.
“Illario?”
“Yes. I mean... what kind of person is he?”
Lucanis noticed the way her fingers brushed the edge of the coffee cup and how she looked slightly upward, as if choosing her words carefully.
The warmth that had filled his chest moments before disappeared.
Because it looked unmistakably like she was trying to hide her interest in Illario.
“He is... a man who always knows how to appear charming to women. He takes great care with his appearance and controls even the smallest details of his expressions and movements.”
Lucanis paused.
“Some of that comes from the skills he learned as an assassin. But in his case... he is simply a natural flirt.”
It was the truth.
If anyone else asked about Illario, he would probably describe him the same way.
And yet, some part of him wanted to keep her attention from wandering.
The thought left him with a faint sense of guilt.
“Oh, I see...”
She smiled.
“You also seem quite refined. And the way you treat people is so graceful and charming. I received training in how to captivate others as well, but... I suppose one can truly tell when someone comes from a noble family.”
Normally, Lucanis would have accepted such praise with quiet satisfaction.
But that was not what mattered to her right now.
Her thoughts were on Illario.
His tall, elegant figure. His handsome face. The effortless compliments that slipped from his tongue, the way he could so easily anticipate what someone wanted and give them exactly that.
Things Lucanis could not do.
She continued speaking, still looking away.
But her voice felt distant, as though it were reaching him through a thick wall.
He could not process a single word.
All he could do was watch her.
The way she held the coffee cup close to her face with both hands, as if trying to hide the faint color in her cheeks.
A quiet storm.
Disappointment.
Insecurity.
Spite smiled cruelly and whispered into his ear.
Stay quiet.
Lucanis took another sip of coffee.
But somehow, it tasted like nothing more than bitter water.
“...Lucanis?”
She looked at him with concern.
“Ah. My apologies. I was lost in thought.”
“Oh. Sorry, I was just talking too much...”
“No. It’s all right. I’m sorry.”
He quickly composed himself and sat properly again.
She gave a small laugh, lifting her shoulders slightly.
Maker, she was adorable.
His hand tightened slightly.
His chest ached.
He wanted to say it.
That he was far more worthy than a man like Illario, a man who was nothing but charm and selfishness.
But he forced the words back down.
They sat heavy in his throat, almost like something physical.
“So... what were you saying? About Illario...”
“No, it wasn’t anything important. Don’t worry about it!”
She waved her hands quickly.
And again, her cheeks turned a little pink.
“Did you ever hear about him? Or see him before... before we met?”
Lucanis forced the question out despite the ache in his chest, and a hollow feeling immediately followed.
“Of course I knew who you both were. You and Illario are the last two grandchildren of the First Talon, after all.”
She hesitated.
“But... I did have him speak to me once. Just briefly, when we happened to pass each other.”
A clear, unmistakable jealousy made Lucanis’s hand tremble slightly.
The thought that Illario had met her before he had felt unbearably heavy.
“He said...”
She smiled faintly.
“‘Your hair is beautiful. If you grew it longer... I’m sure it would be very... well... attractive.’”
She laughed softly.
“He does say things like that to everyone.”
The response left Lucanis’s mouth before he could stop it.
“Anyone.”
He regretted it immediately.
That sharp, possessive jealousy had slipped into his words without permission.
And worse—
It could almost sound as though he were denying her beauty.
Lucanis looked at her hair.
The pale golden strands, touched with a faint blush of pink, were gathered loosely over one shoulder, flowing in soft waves down across her lap.
His chest ached so deeply he almost felt like crying.
It was beautiful.
The long hair that shimmered in the light of the Fade...
Had she grown it because of something Illario had said?
“No. That’s not it. Your hair... you are beautiful.”
“Don’t try to make me feel better. It’s all right.”
She smiled gently, but the sadness beneath her words made Lucanis immediately tense.
“It’s true.”
His voice softened.
“When I first saw you in that Ossuary, I thought you were beautiful. You caught my attention completely.”
She flushed again.
That honest reaction was one of the things he cherished most about her.
The tips of her pointed ears turned pink, and her hands fidgeted awkwardly around the cup.
It stirred his feelings for her more than he could admit.
But the satisfaction he felt from being the one who made her blush was immediately crushed by guilt.
Perhaps it was an insecurity of his own.
Lucanis had been Caterina’s favored grandson, considered worthy of becoming the next First Talon. He had carried out every task placed before him.
And yet...
He could not help but wonder what it would be like if he could show his love with the same effortless charm as his cousin.
The reason he felt no pain when she spoke of Viago—her admiration for him—was not only because he knew her feelings for Viago were more like those of a beloved older brother.
Illario was family.
They had grown up together, trained together, competed against each other, trusted each other with their lives.
They knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, their victories and their shame.
They had protected one another.
And yet now, Lucanis’s thoughts were clouded.
He was desperately searching for proof that he was better than Illario.
Only to find himself listing his cousin’s flaws instead.
He is shallow.
He is dishonest.
In the end, he only loves himself.
So, Rook... forget him.
Look at me.
Please, look at me.
It was a perfectly natural jealousy that anyone could feel.
But to Lucanis, a man who had spent his life forcing himself to always do what was right, it felt devastating.
The cruel irony was that she had taken his praise only as an attempt to cover his mistake.
“I suppose that’s just how Illario is...”
Her violet eyes trembled faintly beneath lashes the same pale shade as her hair.
“He says things like that as easily as he breathes.”
“But still...”
She smiled sadly.
“I fell for it completely.”
She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh.
“Embarrassing, isn’t it? But I guess that’s just how it is.”
She admitted it plainly.
She had been drawn to Illario.
A gentle breeze brushed against both their faces.
But to Lucanis, it felt like something burning.
“Maybe...”
She hesitated.
“Maybe there really was a chance that someday... you know...”
Her voice grew quieter.
“That I could have someone look only at me. Only me.”
She laughed softly, as if trying to make light of her own sadness, moving her feet slightly in an effort to hide how much it affected her.
“It’s not impossible.”
Lucanis searched for the right words.
“You are... not someone who is beautiful and nothing more.”
He said it because he did not know what else to do.
Because more than anything, he did not want her to be hurt by his own words.
He let his feelings show, just a little.
But he hated himself for being so hesitant.
At the same time, the sharper part of his jealousy began turning toward her.
Why couldn’t she see?
Why couldn’t she understand?
He treated her differently from everyone else.
He did things for her that he did for no one.
He searched for words he never gave anyone else.
Why was she asking him about Illario?
Take her!
Spite shouted, as though he had finally run out of patience.
If only I could.
Lucanis barely stopped himself from letting resentment take hold.
He steadied his thoughts, reached for his composure again, and took another sip of coffee.
If he could not bring himself to say that he loved her, then this was no one’s fault but his own.
If he could speak of his feelings as easily as Illario did, if he could confidently say that he would win her over eventually...
But Lucanis was not like Illario.
He did not treat affection like a game.
And that difference only made his feelings more complicated.
Seeing him fall silent with a troubled expression, she seemed to panic slightly.
“Wait! Next time, I want to take everyone to Café Pietra! And then we can all go to the market together. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”
She was clearly trying to change the subject.
Lucanis smiled at her despite himself, but then immediately felt guilty for making her uncomfortable.
She had been the one to invite him out for coffee.
She had wanted to share this moment with him.
And after everything she carried, all the pressure she endured every day, he wanted nothing more than to give her moments of happiness.
“Yes. We should go.”
He smiled softly.
“We can walk through Treviso slowly...”
He almost added that first, they would have to drive out the Antaam.
But he stopped himself.
She was not talking about some perfect future that could only exist after everything went right.
She was talking about something much simpler.
A small piece of the everyday life they had lost.
A moment they were still allowed to cherish.
“We just have to drive the Antaam out first!”
Against the heaviness in Lucanis’s thoughts, she suddenly spoke with bright determination.
Her eyes shone.
“Then we can show everyone the real Treviso. Our beautiful city.”
“A place like a jewel...”
It felt as though light had broken through.
Her words filled him with a warmth that felt almost like she had accepted every part of him.
Ah, Rook.
Rook, you are precious.
Beautiful, bright, strong, and kind.
Like the sun that lights my path.
Lucanis held his breath, as though trying to keep his feelings from spilling out with it.
He clenched his hands and simply looked at her radiant smile.
As if he wanted to burn the sight into his memory.
It did not matter who she loved.
There would likely be times when jealousy and insecurity returned.
But until the battle for this world was over, he would protect her.
He would prove worthy of her trust.
And this time, he would tear down Ghilan’nain.
He would stop the false gods.
—Yes.
The mission had not changed.
He needed to remain focused.
There would always be chances to show her how deeply he cared for her.
How devoted he was.
How much he wanted to protect her.
Unlike Illario, Lucanis stood beside her.
He spoke with her.
He fought with her.
And as the confidence he had lost slowly returned, the familiar elegance came back to his expression.
Seeing that, she let out a quiet breath of relief and savored the final sip of her coffee.
“Thank you for today, Lucanis. I’m happy I was able to relax for a while. It’s been a long time.”
“Thank you as well. You were the one who invited me.”
As small wisps danced playfully in the distance, the two of them fell into silence.
A comfortable silence.
They simply enjoyed the moment, forgetting for a while that time was passing.
After a long, peaceful pause, Rook reached across the table.
She placed her hand over Lucanis’s, still wrapped around his cup.
He startled at the sudden touch and instinctively met her gaze.
“Lucanis.”
“—Rook.”
Their fingers tightened around each other.
A sudden, fierce heartbeat struck through him.
“Please. I’ll make sure I’m watching Spite properly. So... sometimes, just sleep. Please.”
“...That is—”
“Please?”
Her voice softened.
“If you keep doing this, you’re going to destroy yourself.”
Her eyes met his directly.
Kind.
Sincere.
But sharp enough to pierce straight through him.
“Do not worry about me.”
He said it.
But his voice came out rough.
“How could I not worry about you?”
Her thumb gently brushed over the back of his hand.
Lucanis shivered at the touch and looked away again.
He drew a slow breath, trying to quiet his racing heart, and forced himself to speak calmly.
“But you not sleeping is worse.”
She said nothing.
Her lips pressed into a firm line, and her eyes—filled with gentle anger—flickered slightly.
As if warning him that she would not accept any further argument.
“Listen. Saying that won’t work.”
She looked at him firmly.
“I’m sleeping on the floor of the pantry tonight. Starting tonight. Understood?”
Lucanis barely managed to stop himself from physically jolting.
He stared back at her, almost as if she had offended him.
“Are you listening, Spite?”
She turned her attention toward him.
“Don’t even think about causing trouble. Lucanis needs rest. And his precious ‘focus’?”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You cannot maintain it without proper sleep. Understood?”
“Wait. Rook, that is—”
“No arguing!!”
Her voice left no room for refusal.
“This is an order!”
As she spoke, the tips of her carefully kept nails pressed into the back of his hand.
A storm of emotions raged through Lucanis’s mind.
He could only stare at her in disbelief.
“If you do that...”
He murmured quietly.
“Then I would rather—”
She shook her head, refusing to let him finish.
At last, she gave him a bright smile filled with unmistakable authority.
“You’re going to face this battle prepared.”
When she finally released his hand, faint marks from her fingers remained on his skin.
“Thank you for the coffee!”
She lifted the empty cup slightly and smiled.
“Make it for me again someday.”
Then she turned and walked back into the dining hall with a light, cheerful step.
Lucanis could only stare after her, completely stunned.