cascade | kotlc

6. The Black Swan's Contingency Plan

--- credit to @yureinohana_ for most Faye dialogue. She's way better at writing sassy brats than I am. also wattpad's being weird and (holy fuck) STILL not allowing me to ping her lmao sorry---

"The second we leave you alone," Biana sighed, processing the new information.

"It wasn't my fault!" Sophie protested. "Keefe decided to steal back his Imparter and hail fucking Lady Gisela. And we should probably heal that thumb wound."

Biana sighed again, letting her disappointment flood the room as she reluctantly walked over to Keefe and smeared her ring over his wound. The blood faded, the cut sealing and leaving a blackened scab over his thumb.

"That's so you don't do it again," she told him. "Next time I'll be sure to leave a much more noticable scar."

"Wow, thanks a lot," Keefe said sarcastically. "Just forget about how Mommy Dearest wants us to infiltrate fucking Ravagog."

"I guess it was a good thing we reviewed that, then," she murmured under her breath, giving herself another mental reminder to research more on Mercadirs and Ravagog. "But seriously, why?"

"We kind of needed to," Sophie mumbled, fidgeting with her gloves and wrinking the fabric. "And we hope Lady Cadence will agree to help, but... I think only Keefe and I should go."

Naturally, there was a whole lot of freaking out. Even Faye jumped into the argument, mainly to snipe back at June. Biana sighed for the third time in a minute, gathering up energy in her palms and slamming it into the glistening chandelier above.

"I'm not saying that because I'm trying to protect you," Sophie told them after Biana made more threats and the shouting had quieted.

Faye snorted. "Tch, you think you can protect me? My needs aren't met with the likes of you. It'll be the opposite, I assure you."

"I'm pretty sure I can definitely beat you," June muttered, patting her arsenal and examining her gun, polishing the barrel with a silken handkerchief. "Thunder is no match for the wind."

"Alright, we get it," Biana said impatiently, waving around her hand. "But Sophie, we definitely can't just have you and Keefe going. You'll need protection from King Dimitar and the entire ogrish army, especially considering..." Her eyes flicked over to Keefe. Fitz glanced over.

Do you think we should tell them about the shamkniv, and how Lady Gisela was a Mercadir? Or do you think...

Yeah. If she can be one, we can be one too, can't we? It'll mean Dimitar's legally required to delegate all responsibilities to us... at least Sophie and Keefe won't have to suffer any consequences...

We'll see, then. I trust your judgement. And... I think you should go.

"If you need protection," June said, unsheathing Glistensteel and extending it into a five-foot saber. "I'm your best bet. I can defend you from King Dimitar. And if I have to duel him..." In a split second Glistensteel was sheathed and her gun was in her hand, a bullet lodged into the wall behind Faye. She looked unfazed.

"Ri~ight. Ooh, who remembers when the ogres attacked Havenfield? Gee, that sure didn't seem to go as planned, hmmm? I seem to recall a certain some~one falling off a cli~iff." Faye smirked as a snarl grew on June's face, static baking the air and making their hair stand on end. "I can offer you much, much more protection," she told Sophie, turning with a meaningful smile that seemed insulting. A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, blasting through a window and conducting along Faye's silver blade, blue electricity dancing along the edge.