Thank you so much to everyone who took part in Rook Week 2026! We were blown away by the number of submissions, and the community response has exceeded all our expectations.
See all #rookweek2026 works HERE, and check out the event collection for works published on AO3!
What if I found out about the event late or haven't finished my submission yet?
Don't fret! We will continue to reblog submissions that @ this blog or use the #rookweek2026 tag, but there may be a delay now that the week is over.
Works by origin: Aldwir ăťDe RivaăťIngellvarăťMercar ăťLaidir ăťThorneăťRook Dragon Age (Non-Canon & Untagged)
Works by prompt: nightmare ăťsurvival ăťsacrificeăťheritageăťeluvianăťforestăťchainsăťmagesăťpoliticsăťgoldăťimpulseăťruinsăťthe fadeăťspiritsăťbone sawăťknivesăťrooftopsăťrevengeăťgriefăťhopeăťmistakeăťcouchăťmentorăťpromptless
Rook Week 2026: June 21st - 27th | Prompts | FAQs | Ask the Mods
thank you @rookappreciationweek for hosting Rook week and for the prompts
Very belatedly, a short entry for Day 7 with Kore Ingellvar - Hope
People rushed around the Divine's manor, hurrying on errands for the injured or trying to find friends they'd loss track of in the battle to retake Minrathous. In some corners people celebrated quietly, laughing even while tears streamed down their faces at the fact that they were still alive. Still others sobbed quietly into their hands or friends' shoulders, aware of who they'd lost during the fight.
Rook leaned back against a wall outside the manor, feeling exhausted yet too keyed up to sleep. She'd been awake since before the Veilguard had left for Tearstone Island, with barely a nap the night before the siege to retake Minrathous. At some point her hair had come free of the bun she'd worn it in during the battle and hung limply around her face. She felt grimy and was probably in need of a bath.
She still hadn't really had time to process everything. She was aware they'd won, that Elgar'nan and his archdemon were dead, and that she Sixth Blight was finally over. It all felt strangely abstract right now though in the haze of weariness.
"There you are."
She glanced up, seeing Neve walking across the flagstones towards her. Instinctively Rook opened her arms, and Neve stepped gracefully into them, her arms going around Rook's waist and held onto her tightly.
"We're alive," Rook said in a bemused tone.
"We're alive, and we won," Neve replied. "You did it, Trouble." Her gaze turned seriously. "I love you. I'm not afraid to say it anyone."
Kore leaned up and pressed her lips against Neve's. "I love you too, Neve."
Neve caught Rook tightly in her embrace, and Rook laughed softly as Neve deepened the kiss. "Well. Trouble, what do we do now?"
"First we go back to the Lighthouse, and we take a bath, then sleep for a couple days," Rook told her. "After that, I don't know." She smiled, "But whatever we do, we'll figure it out together."
Rook saw the hope blooming in Neve's eyes, and even as they faced an unknown future together, "I've heard worse plans."
Rook laughed, and kissed Neve again.
And behind them, the sun rose on a new day and a hopeful future.
on ao3
tag list - only for fun, let me know if you want on or off the list
Big old thank you to this community thatâs been nothing but welcoming and interactive. Truly itâs been such a pleasure to meet all the rooks for the rook appreciation and the fun event.
While this was meant for the last day I didnât finish this till a little after but I wanted to give a big old appreciation to @knowlsey as they have been a big help in improving my art and honestly getting to this point is just amazing. So I wanted to appreciate one of their rooks (I love them dearly) Mori!
A final belated gifset for @rookappreciationweek's prompt 'Hope'. Thanks so much to the event mods for a fantastic week, and to everyone who participated! Had a blast seeing all your Rooks <3
Thank you @rookappreciationweek for organizing this even and showcasing so many wonderful Rooks throughout the week!
Late and meandering through the prompts
day 1 prompt nightmare
Variations on a theme. That's typical for Kalais. Sometimes they are alone. A body before them. They know it is their fault. Black tendrils crawl over skin and following veins as necrosis spreads. They know it is their fault. The body changes. Sometimes their mother, a childhood friend, a mentor, a newfound family member, their love. Always their fault. No one is around to help, to heal. The person before them, whoever it is, is dead. It is Kalais' fault.
Sometimes they are not alone. People surround them, towering over them, yelling and shouting, demanding their expulsion, demanding exile. Kalais is bent over on their knees, hands over ears, trying to block it all out. Because in the moment they are a scared little girl again, not knowing what happened, afraid of what they did, what is happening to them. She doesn't want to leave the clan. It was an accident. She didn't mean to hurt Vanaya.Â
Itâs even worse when the voices change. Voices Kalais recognizes as other veil jumpers can be heard in the angry shouts. Strifeâs disappointed disapproval. Irelin saying it is better, safer for everyone else, for Kalais to leave. People they had considered as friends and newfound family, scoffing with disgust, turning their backs on Kalais. One voice in particular cuts deep. âYou hurt me. I could have died because of your carelessness. I could never be with someone like you. You are dangerous.â
Kalaisâ sobs echo in the nightmare. âIâm sorry,â they cry, clutching at their ears, rocking back and forth. âPlease, donât leave me alone. Iâll try harder. Iâll be better. Please! Iâm sorry! Iâm sorryâŚIâm sorryâŚIâm sorryâŚâ They repeat the phrase quieter and quieter, until the nightmare fades and they wake, cheeks wet with tears.Â
Alright let's try to do a proper one for @rookappreciationweek,
This one is a wip from the very talented Vir prieto on instagram and features that final moment on tearstone island. You might notice a familiar face in the background~
There's a couple more shots that I might as well get completed, but here were some of the ballroom scenes.
Isabella finds herself in a tight spot after she's captured and not able to get any word out to her Crow colleagues or her lover. With Lucanis in a panic, he seeks out Viago, who advises his to be patient and to not do anything. However, another de Riva Crow has a rather strange idea that thinks might work in favor of them saving their poor wayward Crow.
AO3
Lucanis paced in his office as he waited for the reports to come in. He had been waiting patiently, but there hadnât been any new updates.
Spite was starting to lose his mind as well, but all they could do was wait until they received new information. They couldnât ruin the contract because it had taken a longer time than usual.
Isa had taken a contract in Bastion in the southern part of the country, and the job was only supposed to take a few days, maybe four at most. It had been a week now.
It wasnât the first time a contract had taken longer than usual, but Isa had been able to get a message across that she was alright. That she was okay or that she had been delayed. He had heard nothing from her at all, and there was nothing to show that she was uninjured or that the job was done either.
So Lucanis paced in his office as he fucking waited.
Illario had tried to come in to distract him, but Lucanis told him that he only wanted to know if there had been any updates. Not even his grandmother came in after that.
Near midday, a Crow knocked on his office door with a report. Lucanis took it from him before the Crow made himself scarce, making an excuse that he needed to leave in a hurry. Lucanis didnât say anything, but he didnât think it was a good sign as he closed the door.
Reading the report, he felt his blood pressure spike as Spite grew erratic. The only good news was that Isa was alive. However, she had been taken by the target and held captive. She nearly got out before being recaptured, and the Crow who reported didnât have time to assist. Spite suggested stringing up the Crow who failed to help, but Lucanis shot the idea down. The only reason they knew that Isa was alive was due to the Crow.
Another thing that came with the report was the location where Isa was last seen, and from what Lucanis could glean from the it, it didnât sound like her captors saw the reporting Crow, either. That meant that they werenât thinking about relocating her anytime soon as well.
âWhen you said you had news, I thought it would be better news than this,â Viago hissed irritably, shaking his head.
Lucanis had gone to find Viago at the Diamond to share the report, and he was luckily there with Teia and his Crow, Adelina. The less Lucanis had to relay the report, the better. He didnât want to talk about how she was missing and captured since heâd rather discuss an extraction plan more than anything else.
âHow long as she been gone?â Teia wondered.
âAbout a week. Three days longer than she should have been. She sent a Crow when she arrived in Bastion, but that was the last time we last heard from her,â Lucanis explained.
âPositive. The report came in today and was dated from yesterday,â the First Talon answered with a nod.
âYou canât send anyone to get her,â Viago informed.
âI will not leave her there,â Lucanis countered sternly.
âViago is right. The Crows canât send anyone. This was a target that was supposed to be a quick job, but they managed to capture Isabella. This job was a trap. Any Crow we send will mean that we didnât recognize it, or that you didnât care that it was a trap,â Teia explained with a softer tone.
Lucanis took a deep breath, placing his hands on his hips. He knew that he could probably get the people he worked with the Veilguard together to help Isa, but he wasnât sure how quickly he could get them to where Isa was.
âI think I can handle it,â Adelina mentioned, leaning forward a little.
Viago stared at her in confusion while the Crow started to think about a plan. Lucanis turned towards her, willing to try nearly anything.
âIf I can get the word out to a handful of people, I can make it look like Isa is getting help from non-Crow people who are also not apart of the Veilguard,â Adelina mentioned as Lucanis raised a brow. âIsa said that she still doesnât want to be recognized as Rook, right? I would like to make sure that she revealed like that, either.â
âThat would be ideal, yes,â Lucanis agreed.
Viago exhaled, folding his arms as he started at his Crow. Adelina ignored him while Teia smirked, wondering if Viago was destined for stubborn and inventive Crows in his House.
In the end, Adelina was given permission to hire who she needed to pull this off as long as she didnât give any indication that she was a part of the Crows or that the Crows were involved in Isaâs rescue. While Lucanis only cared about whether or not Isa was safe, his newer position as First Talon was still vulnerable. He did appreciate his fellow Talons looking out for his position as well.
Isa looked around the room she was trapped in, searching for another way to escape. She had been locked in the spare bedroom of the targetâs house with her arms tied behind her back and her ankles tied together. She wasnât exactly helpless, but there wasnât anything she could do by herself. If someone tried to attack her, then she could use leverage to gain the upper hand, but alone, she was stuck.
The people who had trapped her were thorough, even if they had missed her hidden knife the first time. They found it after her escape attempt, and now she was trying to figure out how she was going to manage another escape attempt. It would be difficult, but not impossible. She just needed to figure out how to get out of the binds on her arms.
The target was supposed to be a random noble in Bastion who had a bounty on his head, but it turned out to be a setup. She didnât understand what the trap was for, but it was clear that she was the bait at this point. They didnât question her or do much else other than hold her hostage. She wasnât even sure what they wanted.
A part of her wondered if they worked for another Talon or for a Crow who wanted Lucanis to give up his job or something. She also wondered if these people knew she was Rook, and they wanted something from her. However, they didnât really speak to her. It was like they were waiting to hear from some outside source about what to do with her first. It didnât fill her with confidence.
Of course, in the end, it didnât matter. What she needed to do was to get out so she could get word to Lucanis and Viago that she was alive and breathing. The last thing they needed was either of them doing something rash on her behalf because she managed to get caught. She just hoped that they wouldnât give her a lecture about getting caught when she did get back to Treviso.
When she was staring at the barred window, wondering if she could get past the bars after she broke the glass, the door opened. Isa turned to the door and glared as one of her captors stood just within the threshold.
âI wasnât sure you would be awake, petit Corbeau. I donât think youâve slept at all since youâve been in our care,â the man said in a thick Orlesian accent.
âAs if I would be comfortable enough to sleep around you,â she sneered, glaring at him.
The man sighed, shaking his head. He looked exasperated, as if she had chosen the wrong side. As if she had a choice in whether or not she was being held against her will. Frustrated, she pulled at her binds, and the man just watched for a moment, letting herself test the ropes.
âYou arenât going to go anywhere, and no one is allowed in this room. You might as well get some sleep,â the man sighed.
âWhy am I even here?â Isa demanded loudly.
This man wasnât her target. She wasnât even sure the target was even there anymore, and she wouldnât be surprised if the contract had been pulled entirely. She glared at him, and he just watched her like a caged animal in a zoo.
âYou are here because we needed you to be. We were fortunate that you were the one to take this contract, but we were hoping that the Demon would come himself,â the man explained as he exhaled. âThe Demon has a lot to answer for, and we are hoping that grabbing his petit Corbeau might attract him to us if our contract does not.â
âAs if Lucanis would be stupid enough to fall for your tricks,â Isa growled with bright eyes.
The man raised a brow, regarding her carefully. He wasnât sure if he believed her, but there was something in her tone that made him question his plan. Her glare hardened, and the man was glad that she had no access to magic at least. She couldnât hurt him while she was tied up as she was.
âWe will see, wonât we?â the man remarked softly before taking his leave.
Isa grimaced at him as he closed the door, hearing the defining locked that kept her out from the rest of the world. She was glad to know that she knew why she was there at least, but it didnât help that she was nothing more than bait for her lover. Now she had to figure out how to escape and get the word to him before something worse happened.
Adelina was pretty proud of herself as she stood in the unfamiliar lighthouse with five other unfamiliar faces staring back at her. She had sent the word out to the other factions that she needed help rescuing Isabella. Her fellow Crow had mentioned that she had met people in the last few months that she had helped and took contracts from, so Adelina sent the word to those who Isa had met already. She hoped that they would be willing to join her plight to rescue her.
To her relief and delight, all five had agreed. Henry Thorne from the Anderfels, Elene Mercar from Tevinter, Wysteria Ingellvar from Nevarra, Idrilla Aldwir from Arlathan, and Thalia Laidir from Rivain all came with Adelina called. They were more than willing to help, excited to find and help their Crow friend.
Although, no one looked comfortable in the lighthouse as no one had been in the Fade like this. Not that Adelina had either. The experience was new, but she acted like she had done it for as long as Isa had. She needed the confidence to convince the others that she knew what she was doing.
âSo, do we know why Isa was taken?â Henry asked, still a little confused.
Adelina had given the bare bones explanation when she recruited them, so she had said that she had been taken on the job by people who wanted to keep her hostage. However, that was as much information as she gave.
âAs far as we know, it sounds like itâs most likely a ploy to bring out the First Talon. They are keeping her hostage as bait for him,â Adelina explained with a grimace.
âAnd is that why the Crows canât help? Besides you, I mean,â Idrilla added.
âThe Crows canât be involved at all. Lucanis has to be completely removed by this, but Iâm positive he will be absolutely grateful that you helped with this,â Adelina reassured.
âI donât care about that. She saved me from a dire situation, I donât mind returning the favor,â Elene shrugged.
âAnd how alive do we need the people who took her?â Thalia piped up from the back. âJust wondering if I need to worry about any poisons I shouldnât be using.â
âI think as long as Isa is released from their custody, any deaths are fine. I donât even think the First Talon cares about keeping the leader alive at this point. Whatever the reason Isa is being held hostage can be learned from documents we can gather later,â Adelina replied, lifting her shoulders.
âThatâs necessary?â Henry asked softly. âSeems unnecessarily violent towards people we arenât sure have harmed her.â
âThey staged a Crow contract to have her kill someone only to capture her and hold her until her fiancĂŠ came around. I doubt it was so they could just chat with him,â Wysteria pointed out calmly. âWhile I do agree that killing indiscriminately is a waste, I donât think we should wait around to ask questions when Isa could be in danger.â
âAlright, fair point,â Henry conceded, exhaling.
âOkay, so if weâre all ready and prepped, we can head to Bastion and save Isa,â Adelina instructed before pointing towards the eluvian room. The people around her cheered briefly before following her down.
Adelina had waited until after dusk to take the group out into the city, knowing that not all of them would be able to stealth thought the area. The darkness aided them, and she had the map where Lucanis had said that the Crow had spotted Isa in the report. He was confident that she would still be there since they were sure it was a trap more than anything else.
Adelina had also learned that while she had been recruiting the group she was going to work with that Lucanis had further interrogated the Crow. He had learned the Crow who reported Isaâs location had been paid off by her captors to tell the First Talon about where she was. Further interrogation proved to Lucanis that the Crow wasnât lying. However, the Crow was an example of why you didnât cross the First Talon.
As they neared where Isa was being held, it was clear the place was being watched as it was a little too barren for the area. Adelina looked it over before she pointed out the second-floor window that was the only one that was barred. The rest of the windows were closed and covered with curtains or other items, but that one was the only one that had bars covering the glass.
Adelina wondered if Isa was put on the second floor for a reason, questioning the motives of the people in charge. Was it to increase the confidence of her rescuers? Was the barred window supposed to be the trap? Or was it the red herring? Isa had already escaped once. It made sense for them to reinforce her surroundings.
There were too many variables, and Adelina started to overthink it. This was completely different from the last contract she had gone on where she it didnât matter who lived or died as long as the target died. Now she needed to make sure her target lived, and that was a different task entirely.
Before she could overthink herself to the point of panic, Henry stepped forward and placed a hand on her should gently. She nearly moved to remove his hand before she remembered who was with her. She nodded, knowing that he was there to help. They would work together to get her out as they had agreed to.
Thalia also came forward, mentioning that this reminded her of a treasure hunt in a strange way where it was important to get in and out with the prize without it or anyone else getting hurt or damaged. Adelina nearly laughed before she understood what the Lord of Fortune was saying. The Crow let Thalia take the lead and make a plan, starting with the basic infiltration with Adelinaâs help on the basics of Antivan building design. While she was sure the layout wasnât out of the ordinary, she wanted to help anyway she could.
Isa struggled in her binds, more frustrated than ever as she started to get rope burns on her wrists. The man who had set the trap kept coming in and chatting with her, wanting more and more information about the Crows and Lucanis. She had kept silent after their first conversation, and he was growing more irritated.
She wasnât sure how much longer it was going to be before her captor was going to start resorting to either torture or possibly sending different parts to her lover to motivate one of them to do something.
Regardless of her position, she was proud of Lucanis for not doing anything rash, though. The last thing Isa wanted was to see him get hurt because he flew right into a trap designed for him. She was glad that he had seen what was happening and resisted the clear bait, even if it meant terrible things for her.
Of course, that didnât mean she was going to sit there and do nothing. Isa was going to fight tooth and nail until the end, regardless of what was going on. They were going to rue the day that they ever thought about using her for bait, that was for certain.
Isa heard the hand move, and she started to struggle more in her bindings, wanting to get out even more, gnashing her teeth in frustration. Any day now could be the last straw for her tormentor, and she did not want to see that day.
However, the door swung open, and Isa froze with wide eyes as Thalia and Henry stood on the other side of the door. The Crow blinked before Adelina pushed past them to reach her while Wysteria, Idrilla, and Elene werenât far behind.
As Adelina cut her bonds, Isa stared at each of them, shocked to see the six of them working together. It wasnât surprising to see them as a team, since they were all clever and hardworking, but Isa never expected these people to ever meet each other. Not to mention it never crossed her mind that these people could be her saviors.
âGrazie,â Isa whispered, forgetting herself, while Wysteria healed her burns.
âGern geschehen,â Wysteria answered with a smile and wink.
Isa laughed, gripping her friendâs hands, before turning to the others who were watching the door. Adelina was checking the window, but it was definitely the barred one they had seen outside. Henry had given an alternate exit plan, and it seemed that they were going to have to go that route, even though it was riskier.
âReady to go home?â Thalia asked as Isa turned to her.
âMore than you know,â Isa replied with a sigh. âBut I donât understand. How are you here? How did you know?â
âA Crow saw you and reported it to Lucanis. I found out, and you mentioned you had met and help people around Thedas,â Adelina explained.
âSince the Crows couldnât get involved since it was an obvious trap,â Wysteria added.
âWe decided to come get you instead,â Elene finished, walking over to help Isa to her feet. âFigured that you would have helped us if we were in the same position.â
âOf course I would have,â Isa replied with a grin.
âSo, letâs get out before the rest come pouring in,â Henry mentioned. âI hit the leader guy pretty hard with my hammer, so I donât think his friends are going to be very happy when they see his body.â
âNo, probably not,â Isa replied with a relieved smile, letting the others take her home.
The Fourth Regret by CaudaUmbra [AO3] - Rook Appreciation Week 2026
Out of hope, out of time and facing an eternity trapped in Solas' Fade prison, Rook must find peace with herself and her decisions in order to find a way out. This story is often told as a tale of three regrets - two for the fallen and one for the missing, but little is heard of the fourth regret - the one for the heart and the words left unsaid.
@rookappreciationweek comes to an end and thank the Maker so does this fic! Here's Chapter 3 of my short three-part arc exploring a regret this Emmrook never got to see.
Day 6 Prompt: âHopeâ
The Fourth Regret - Chapter 3 - "An Indomitable Hope"
In which Rook realizes that hope was never lost, it was always right there with her, guiding every step of the way.
Read More on AO3: Whole work | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3
Blood. Sweat. Tears. All Bryn and Anya had known in recent times. Now, the blood had stopped running, the sweat had dried up, and the tears were finally happy ones. Nothing would ever be normal again, but at least the imminent threat of 2 ancient mages was no longer looming over them.
(Inspired by the 'Any Other Name' tag game, my fills for this week focus on a variant of Amara and a pre-game encounter with one of the Veilguard companions đ However, for Day 7 we end with Emmrich and companion!Amara so not technically 'Rook' in this lifetime đ Just in all the others)
Something had gone terribly wrong.Â
Emmrich reached for the tether point he and Johanna had painstakingly constructed over the past few weeks, the solid grounded gateway back to the physical realm that should allow him to escape and found nothing, just the swirling vertigo of the wild Fade - dangerous and unpredictable and malleable and -Â
Ah. Of course. Pushing away the insistent thought that he was going to die here, Emmrich fell back on his training. He was nearly a full Watcher, after all, and he had trained for years to shape the Fade to his will. Even if this particular corner of the infinite sea was unusually choppy, it could be shaped.
He called for stability. For assistance. And to his great relief, something answered. A force grabbed him - a metaphorical hand in the dark. He gripped it tightly and allowed himself to be pulled free of the maelstrom in which he had fallen.Â
The area where he landed - so to speak - was hazy, the colors muted and dull, the pathway and impossible floating stones slightly askew in a way that made his head hurt. But he was alive and he wasnât alone.
The woman watching him didnât look entirely real. A gold tinged aura clung to her - spirit energy, Emmrich noted - and her manner of dress was unusual and extraordinary. Armor of gold in a design he did not recognize - though looking at the thorn vine markings on her face and pointed ears, he felt confident in making an educated guess.
âMy thanks - and forgive me, are you a Spirit of forgotten Arlathan, or the shade of one who walked in that fallen empireâs remains? And what is this place?â
The womanâs lips twitched, like she was trying not to laugh. She replied, saying something beautifully melodic in, Emmrich assumed, the elven language. Sadly, he did not understand a lick of it.
âI apologize, but I am not familiar with your language. And I realize I should not assume you understand Trade - I need to find my way back to the Grand NecropolisâŚperhaps you know ancient Nevarran or Orlesian or, well - I do know some colorful phrases in TeveneâŚâ
The woman said something else then held out a hand to Emmrich. He trailed off and - not seeing any other good option, took it.Â
Afterwards, once he was safely returned to the warded chamber he and Johanna had used to set up their experiment, it was a struggle to explain to his friend exactly what happened. She was not amused, demanding he provide a thorough accounting of what went wrong or, failing that, allow her to cross the barrier to the Fade and see if she could repeat the error. Emmrich did his best to describe it - disembodied travel in a stream of Spirits, a world between worlds, and a woman who seemed to walk the line between mortal and incorporeal who guided him home even if they could not understand one another.Â
Johanna eventually decided the malfunction in the ritual had scrambled his mind. Emmrich almost accepted this reality, but many many years later came face to face with his savior - this time, in the company of Rook and on the cusp of another grand adventure.
Rook Appreciation Week Day 7 - Hope - Klimt Study III - @rookappreciationweek (details/notes below)
- last one for rook week!
- Study of Klimtâs Fulfillment
- really enjoyed figuring out the patterns on this one :) for rook I used the same shapes from day 4. The shapes on lucanisâs cloak are a mix of silver/feathers/cages for the crows and patches of magenta for spite
- i use those black thorny tendrils to represent the blight so i like to interpret this one as their post-regret prison reunion hug <3
âWhat do you mean I cannot be your apprentice anymore?!â
âYouâre a bit old for apprenticeship, are you not?â Dorian cocked his head to the side with feigned flippancy.
âRemind me how old you were when you studied under Alexius!â Alma snapped.
Dorian sighed, like she was being unreasonable. Like she was a fledgling fresh out of the nest, same as when theyâd first met. But she wasnât.
âYou know perfectly well what Iâm talking about. Now that your mother thinks youâre dead, Iâd rather things stay that way.â
Almaâs words failed her. After all those years⌠Of course. Dorian was a magister now. Of course heâd cut off the sudden liability, no matter the bond theyâd forged, if it threatened his position, his brilliant plans for the future. Of course heâd replace her the moment sheâd become inconvenient, in power both magical and political⌠Why was she so surprised?
Dorian carried on without pause, oblivious to her eating herself alive:
âHad you succeeded in killing your mother, you wouldâve been a magister yourself by now, and Iâ the Lucerni wouldâve had another ally in the Magisteriumâ!"
âSo itâs my fault?" Alma said softly.
She didnât need his answer. Not really. His disappointment was clear enough. In response, Almaâs own temper flared. The room seemed to grow hotter, but the effect was deceiving: just anger, simmering under her skin. Now she lacked the power that could harm people around her if it got out of control.
Alma turned away and walked around the lavish study slowly, oblivious to the trove of knowledge and information that it was, putting her fingers in her hair. A pale white lock fell into her face, and she tucked it behind her ear irritably. With white hair she looked less like her mother now, but it hardly substituted as consolation.
âWhy didnât she finish the job?â she mused aloud. âWhy did they have to save me? Whyââ
âBecause you are worth saving,â Dorian said.
His earnestness was something even Alma glimpsed rarely, but she couldnât find it in herself to appreciate it right now.
âBut not worthy enough for you to take me back in," she sneered.
âThat is notâ"
âEnough!" Aurelia cried out.
Her blue eyes, same as Almaâs, blazed with indignation. Both Alma and Dorian jumped slightly, having forgotten about the third mage present. Dorian coughed awkwardly into his sleeve and smoothed out his mustache, trying to appear nonchalant. He fooled no one: Alma due to their long acquaintance, and Aurelia due to her taking none of other peopleâs shit, magister or no magister. For her part, Alma ruffled her hair to try and hide her face behind the free falling locks, their colour no longer bothering her.
âYou!â Aurelia turned to Dorian who had the funniest look on his face, almost pointing at himself: me? who is this rascal addressing me so rudely? But he shouldâve known better by now. âApologize and speak without going in circles. And you,â Aurelia turned to Alma, âhear him out. Please.â
Alma sighed, the fight seeping out of her. It wasnât that she didnât understand Dorianâs stance â it just hurt. The way theyâd envisioned what steps they would undertake next, what scandalous escapades theyâd be up to together⌠Those daydreams were nothing but ash now. Alma had clawed her way back out of the abyss, as well as reclaimed a fraction of her former power, of control over herself â only to find out she no longer had a place next to her loved ones.
Sheâd tasted what it felt like to be in the sun, and now shadows would claim her again, chain her again.
âLetâs just admit that if your mother did perish, we would all have had less trouble to contend with.â
This was the closest to an apology that Alma would ever get. Not to mention Dorian wasnât wrong.
âShe cannot know you live â no objections here, I hope?â Dorian continued, all pompous and business-like. âAlas, there goes our triumphant announcement in the Magisterium: the illustrious Magister Pavus and his humble apprentice of the Renatus bloodline⌠Imagine the look on the faces of those trying so very hard not to give away theyâre Venatori!.. But, frankly, there is not much for you to miss.â
Alma couldnât help a half-hearted chuckle.
âSays the illustrious Magister Pavus,â she parried with his own words, âillustrating perfectly how dull Magisterium sessions are by attending every single one of them.â
Dorian pretended to be mortally wounded, complete with putting a hand over his pierced heart and sagging dramatically into his armchair. Aurelia rolled her eyes with an exasperated smirk, already used to his theatrics.
âMy point,â he spoke as he got himself comfortable in the plush seat, âis that there are ways weâll all happily work together for a better future, even if unseen.â
âMeaning you donât see them right now,â Aurelia muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and rocking from heel to toe.
Dorian sent her a withering look.
âI am coming up with ideas as we speak,â he stated haughtily. âI am not turning away an ally that has been nothing but helpful throughout our years together.â
Moments ago Alma could have sworn in her despair that the ground was about to open up and swallow her, and now, in response to her first mentorâs acknowledgement, her heart swelled, threatening to push past the boundaries of her chest.
âThat's great!â Aurelia clapped her hands with deceptive enthusiasm. âNow, what would this steadfast ally receive for her deeds both past and future?â
Dorian tutted, shaking his finger at her, like a bemused elderly enchanter at an unruly student. Alma laughed â loudly, genuinely, for the first time in a long while. The way Aurelia tried to secure her sisterâs position was endearing, and, judging by the way Dorianâs mustache moved, he shared the feeling.
Suddenly, Alma remembered: people cared. The road ahead promised to be rough, but she wasn't alone walking it.
