#yesssss yesssssss
Frankly, Governer Kalen’s house was much too large for someone guilty of so many deaths. It was nestled in the desert a few miles from Goldcliff, hidden between the valley of two large mountains. Lucretia had no doubt that this is where Kalen spent most of his time. There was a glided gate out front with his name engraved into it. The large lawn out front was lush with plants that were probably under some sort of preserving charm because otherwise, they wouldn’t last in this heat. There was a guard stationed at the door.
Lucretia was hidden along the mountainside, her staff tight in her hands. Getting into the house wouldn’t be difficult. Getting out without alerting anyone? That would be the hard part.
Not for the first time, Lucretia wished her family was here. If only for the fact that Taako and Lup were much better at premeditated murder than she was. Hell, Magnus was better at that than her, but she wasn’t about to drag him into this again. He had lost too much already. Merle couldn’t stick to a plan to save his ass, Davenport was… indisposed. And who the hell knew what Barry was doing these days.
Lucretia snapped her head towards the sound of leaves shuffling behind her.
And then she knew exactlywhat Barry was doing these days.
“Lucretia?!” Barry said, his voice hushed but sounding incredibly surprised. Lucretia couldn’t blame him. She was also very surprised. He was a lich still, which wasn’t too shocking, but she was glad to see he was still remarkably put together. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“What the hell are youdoing here?” Lucretia shot back.
“I’m- what do you think I’m doing?” Barry said, gesturing to the house behind her. “I’m not just gonna let this guy get away with this shit. He- you knowwhat he did to Magnus, right? Like, like you didn’t just stumble here for a midnight walk.”
“I know what happened,” Lucretia said. “I… If I had known that he would have done that, then I…”
She half-expected Barry to full-out blame her for what had transpired in Raven’s Roost. Maybe that was mostly because Lucretia blamed herself. Who’s to say?
“Magnus didn’t deserve that,” Barry said, lightly. “We both know that. And it’s no one’s fault except that asshole’s.” He lifted a skeletal finger towards the house. “So this isn’t me forgiving you or not being angry at you, ‘cus I’m real fuckin’ angry still, Luce.” Finally, his form shuddered. Lucretia was prepared to take a step back, but he just took a deep breath and the shaking stopped. “But I- I know what it’s like to lose what he lost. And I’m not gonna let Kalen get away with it.”
Lucretia nodded, taking a deep breath in as well. She glanced over her shoulder again at the house, and then back at Barry. She held out a hand.
“Truce?” she asked. “For Magnus?”
“Truce,” he said. “And I can’t shake your hand, Lucretia, I’m still like, full ghost over here.”
