Liliana took a step back and wiped the sweat dripping down her face off. Before her was a bubbling cauldron and a multitude of glass and metal contraptions that made alchemy and potion making possible. Every last item was in use, distilling, boiling, drying, or containing processed ingredients. Everything was almost ready. She just had to begin the process of combining it all.

“We get one shot at this,” Liliana said softly.

Nemesis hissed softly from her perch on Liliana’s shoulder and not for the first time she wished her Bond had hands. It would’ve made this process far easier, as it was. She had barely twenty-four hours left before the Inquisitors came, and the potion needed twelve to make. She was lucky, so lucky, that this wasn’t a potion that took longer to make. Some took a month or more to make. For how rare this one it was comparatively easy to brew, it was just acquiring the ingredients that were the hard part.

“Do you need some help?” a voice called out and Liliana startled, turning around and turning to face the intruder.

Her naginata was in her hand before she finished the movement, her recent experiences and lack of sleep making her both jumpy and trigger-happy. She blinked in surprise when she registered who it was that she’d pressed the blade of her weapon to. Slowly lowering the weapon from Emyr’s neck, Liliana took a deep, calming breath.

“I’m going to sew bells into your clothes so you stop sneaking up on me,” Liliana threatened, as she shoved her weapon back in her storage.

“Normally I can’t,” Emyr shrugged as he stepped closer, his expression conflicted. Liliana couldn’t hold his gaze for long. The sympathy and pain that were so clear in his steel eyes threatened to unlock the box she’d exiled her painful emotions to.

“You didn’t even come say hello, I was worried,” Emyr’s voice sounded hurt and Liliana turned from him, her shoulders raising protectively.

“I didn’t have the time,” Liliana said, voice sharp and defensive.

“I know, just. It would’ve been nice to know you were alive,” Emyr said softly and Liliana shook her head, trying to shove the guilt his words summoned away.

“Has she made any moves?” Liliana asked, diverting the conversation.

“None that I could see. She’s lying low. Probably didn’t want to chance making a move and not having time to destroy the evidence.” Emyr said, stepping back and giving Liliana the space she needed to breathe. Liliana sucked against her teeth in annoyance. She didn’t want anyone else to get hurt, but it would’ve been easier if Imogen made a mistake this close to the Inquisitors coming.

“Did you find anything?” Liliana asked next, knowing that Emyr wouldn’t have been able to resist snooping, and unlike her, he wouldn’t be defeated by a locked drawer.

“No, she’s done a good job of covering her tracks. There was nothing in her room that would tie her to anything she’s done.” Emyr sounded angry at that, and Liliana knew he felt guilty.

Spying was his skill set, getting information others didn’t want him to have. But he was still a child and Imogen had been playing this game longer than either of them had been alive.

“That’s fine, it doesn’t change the plan,” Liliana said, and she stepped towards her setup, grabbing the first thing she’d need. Water from the Seeker’s Spring.

“Let’s get this started. We only have twenty-four hours to get everything in place. You remember what I told you to do?” Liliana asked as she dumped the water into the cauldron.

“Yes,” Emyr said and Liliana sighed in relief. Without another word, they began to work, Emyr handing her what she needed, using hands and shadows to aid her.

Liliana slumped to the ground before falling onto her back with a heave of air tinged with relief, anticipation, and exhaustion. It was done. They just had to let the potion simmer for the next eight hours, then they could bottle it and it’d be ready. Liliana let out a little, mania tinged, giggle. She couldn’t believe it. Weeks of struggle, months of pain and suffering, it was about to be over. As soon as this time tomorrow, Imogen could be in chains and being dragged out of the manor to face punishment for her crimes. It was almost over.

Emyr sat next to her and Liliana tilted her head, noticing for the first time the dark circles under his eyes. She wondered if he’d been sleeping since she’d left, or if the weight of the many secrets she’d revealed to him had kept him up at night. Had he begun suffering from his own nightmares, as she did? Were his nights filled with monsters wearing Imogen’s face, their clawed hands stained a sickening crimson?

“Have you talked to Alistair?” Liliana asked as she picked at her nails. They were torn and ugly, filled with dirt and the edges ragged. Astrid would’ve scolded her for them, but she wasn’t here now to do so.

“No… I… I haven’t been able to face him. He knows something is wrong, but how can I look him in the face and pretend everything is alright when it isn’t?” Emyr looked down at his own hands and his shoulders were slumped, his voice sounding so heartbroken and desperate. Liliana wished she had an answer for his question, but she didn’t. There was no guidebook for how to tell your brother or your best friend that their mother was a murderous psychotic bitch.

“Is it really best? To not tell him? It’s going to hurt him so much when he finds out,” Emyr sounded so small as he asked, looking at Liliana with tortured eyes.

“Can you guarantee he won’t confront his mother? Ruin the plans? Can you look me in the eye and promise me that Imogen won’t turn on her son if he confronts her? That she won’t kill him? Or worse, that he won’t take her side?” Liliana asked him. Her words were harsh, but her tone was tired and sad. These were things she’d thought too, spent hours considering the possibility. Because she didn’t want to lie to Alistair, didn’t want to hurt him.

“She’s been manipulating him his entire life. He might not have come out of it with as many bruises and scars as I did, but it doesn’t mean she didn’t abuse him as well. She twisted his mind and emotions to suit her whims, to make him dependent on her. She spent years molding him so that when he gained the dukedom, he’d be her puppet. You don’t just break away from something like that in a night, or even in months. It takes years to undo that kind of conditioning and damage,” Liliana sat up and sighed heavily, feeling an uncomfortable weight on her shoulders. The weight of choices and knowledge that no fourteen-year-old should have to bear. Yet she did.

“I just…” Emyr trailed off, sounding so anguished Liliana could feel her heart breaking for him.

“You love him, and you want to protect him,” Liliana finished for him. A small ghost of a smile flitted across her face as Emyr turned to her in surprise, his eyes almost comically large.

“How did you know?” Emyr asked, and Liliana snorted, shaking her head.

“You two aren’t half as subtle as you think you are. He followed us in the middle of the night because he thought we were having a tryst, and I know sure as hell it wasn’t because he was worried about me.” Liliana teased lightly as she propped and arm on her knee and her chin in her palm.

To be fair to Emyr and Alistair, it had taken her a while to put the pieces together. Romance had never been an interest of hers, and she had never experienced it personally. Never had a chance to. To be fair to her, while the game had allowed romance options between the playable characters, it had only been straight relationships. It had been a constant request by the community to allow same-sex relationships, but the developers had never added the option. She couldn’t say why they made that choice, when it was obvious now to her in hindsight that Emyr had always been hopelessly in love with Alistair, even in the game.

At least for all the bad things she could say about this world, they didn’t frown upon same-sex relationships. It was a rather progressive society, if you discounted the whole class system.

“So have you two made it official or…?” Liliana trailed off. She wasn’t sure why she was trying to dig into Emyr and Alistair’s relationship. If they even had one after what they were about to do. But it was easier to ask about this kind of thing than to focus on what was about to happen. It made her feel like a normal teenager talking to her friend about romance and crushes and boyfriends. She had never gotten that before, and perhaps she just craved an experience she’d missed out on.

“What?! No! Of course not! He would never…” Emyr was flustered, probably for the first time Liliana had ever seen him as he waved his arms around, his face darkened by his blush.

“Oh please, he’s in love with you too.” Liliana waved her free hand in the air, as if shooing away Emyr’s protests.

“How could I ever compare to someone like him? He’s like… like the sun. And I’m just the shadow that follows after his light,” Emyr said, ducking his head and hiding behind his teal hair as if it would shield him from this conversation.

“Did you just compare my brother to the sun? Ugh, I feel sick,” Liliana made an exaggerated, disgusted face that earned her a shove from Emyr that sent her toppling over.

“I’m sure he’s got some sappy disgusting description for you as well. Just kiss and figure it out or whatever,” Liliana said as she righted herself.

“Anyone ever tell you, you’re awful at romance advice?” Emyr asked her, and Liliana shrugged.

“It’s not like I have a list of suitors to figure it out with myself. I’ve never done anything like this either. If you want romantic advice, maybe you should ask Silas. Or your siblings. I’m sure they have experience,” Liliana told him. A shadow fell over them both, stalling anymore conversation as Liliana tilted her head up to look. She hadn’t even really noticed it was day, but now dark wings obscured the sun and Liliana waved lazily as Emyr jumped to his feet, shadows whipping around him as he got ready to fight the threat.

“Sit down. It’s just Polaris,” Liliana chided as the Kitsune circled above them, slowly descending until he landed lightly before Liliana.

‘It’s done,’ Polaris told her, and Liliana slumped in relief, feeling tears prickling in her eyes. Good. Good. The amulet was gone now, forever. She’d never have a chance to falter like that again. She’d never become a person who could kill her friends.

“Polaris?!” Emyr asked and Liliana nodded as Polaris padded to her, sitting in front of her and fixing Emyr with his unblinking gaze.

Nemesis hissed from her shoulder and Liliana realized this was the first time the serpent had met her newest Bond, though she knew of Polaris through their connection. With a tap, Liliana summoned Lelantos, and the tiger yawned before freezing, staring at Polaris.

‘Still weak,’ Polaris told Emyr, causing the boy to jump when he heard the Kitsune talk for the first time, but Polaris had already turned his attention to Lelantos. The two approached each other, their noses touching lightly as they sniffed at one another.

‘I’m stronger now!’ Polaris said with a happy yip. The two were off, chasing each other around the courtyard, carefully avoiding the section set aside for alchemy.

“He can talk?” Emyr asked, dropping to the ground in a heap of shocked limbs.

“You should meet his mom,” Liliana muttered as she watched her Bond for a moment. She felt Nemesis slithering off her and watched as she shifted as she moved, growing to her full size to join the games. Liliana watched for a few more minutes before laying back against the hard ground, closing her eyes as she felt the sun wash over her. She was so tired.

“I don’t want to know. You’re a fucking magnet for trouble and powerful creatures. Is it a talent? A boon?” Emyr muttered beside her and Liliana snorted in amusement. Oh, how she wished, she was just born unlucky, apparently.

“Wake me up in like seven hours,” Liliana told Emyr, mentally repeating the order to Polaris. With how tired Emyr was, she wasn’t confident he wasn’t about to pass out too.

“You can’t just leave me alone with them! They’ll use me as a chew toy!” Emyr hissed at her and Liliana waved a hand in the air.

“Shhh,” she mumbled. Emyr let out a mixture of a frustrated growl and shriek, but it went unheard as Liliana had already fallen asleep.

An hour later saw both children lying on the ground, a large tiger curled around them, surrounded by serpentine coils and vulpine eyes watching closely as the beasts guarded the children during their desperately needed slumber. It would be time soon enough for them to awaken and face the horrors and pain of the world, but for now they could rest safely, protected and guarded while at their most vulnerable.