And just like that, I tell Rowan everything. I keep the focus on Wren. How he’s been mistreated. How young and scared he is. How completely unfair this whole situation has been for him.
When I explain how we ended up involved, I emphasize just how badly hurt Lukas was when I found him. How he was taken against his will, dragged away from the hotel with no say in the matter. I make it clear that he didn’t want any of this. That none of this was his choice. I AM worried that I’m making his family look more guilty in the process. But I’m honest about the fact that some of them seemed confused. That most of them didn’t even seem aware of his father’s condition. But honestly, if I have to choose… I’m going to make sure Lukas is the one who looks innocent. I know he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to them, but they were the ones who kidnapped him. And they DID try to hand him over to a demon. So my sympathy for them is… Limited. When it comes to explaining my involvement, though, I keep it a little more vague. Because unlike Lukas, I had every opportunity to walk away from this. Sure, my aunt is somehow involved, but I’m not. I could have ignored her. I could have ignored Lukas. I COULD have pretended this whole thing wasn’t my problem. And yet… I didn’t. I haven’t. So in some ways… MY involvement has been intentional. But somehow, it doesn’t feel like I ever really had a choice to walk away. Like the moment I got involved, that was it. A small part of me is still concerned that by telling Rowan all of this, I’m just incriminating us further. That I’m making everything worse. But the way Andrew keeps nodding along sympathetically, the way he gasps at all the perfect moments, keeps me talking. I might not be able to read Rowan’s reactions. But her husband? He is clearly on our side. And that, just barely, gives me enough encouragement to tell her everything.
I take a steadying breath as Rowan speaks, her tone laced with both sympathy and curiosity. “Huh… Sounds like you two have had a tough couple of weeks. You know, I’d be interested to meet this necromancer. They’re pretty rare. I haven’t gotten to see one in action before. But I don’t want to freak the kid out, so I guess my curiosity can wait.” Her dramatic sigh makes me perk up a little.
“So… You agree, right? That Wren isn’t guilty?” I ask nervously, hoping that the compassion in her eyes is genuine. Rowan nods, her gaze softening.
“Of course! He’s just a kid. We can’t expect him to make good decisions at his age. Hell, I don’t think I made a single reasonable decision until I was at least twenty eight.” She adds thoughtfully, and I let out a heavy sigh of relief. In that moment, I can feel some of the tension melting away. Even Lukas’s rigid grip on my hand loosens just slightly. He’s still clearly stressed, his entire family is at risk, but at least I can tell that worrying about Wren isn’t his only burden anymore. Sure, the kid is still in deep danger from Solem, but Rowan’s frankness suggests that she’s as much a threat as a potential ally. One less thing to worry about, I think.
“And… what about the rest of it?” I ask pointedly. I need to know if Lukas, Torin, or even I am in deeper trouble for our involvement. I would feel terrible if I got him or Rina in trouble for their actions, or even Eli, who’s mostly just been the bearer of information. Hunters have a way of drawing a very thin line between guilty and not guilty, and it seems like Rowan is sparing Wren purely because he’s a kid. But what about the rest of us? What about Lukas’s family, or my aunt? Rowan’s eyes narrow as she considers the question.
“Well, as far as I can tell, you two haven’t really done anything wrong. Sure, you knew a lot about a lot of things, but you DID technically inform the police… And the kid DID request your help. It doesn’t count as a kidnapping in the legal sense.” Her tone is measured now, more analytical than accusatory.
“Still, it sounds like Solem and his acquaintances are spiraling completely out of control. I’m beginning to think it might be time for me to intervene, maybe even clear out his entire organization.” She adds thoughtfully. Her words hang in the air, heavy with implication. I glance up at Lukas, his face is pale, like he might be coming down with something. My stomach twists a little. His vague reference to ‘organisation’ unsettles me even more. Does that include his family? My aunt? What about people like Vianey who seem to be there against their will? Rowan isn’t a mind reader, and she can’t possibly know which of these people are guilty and which are merely trapped in inconvenient demon deals that limit their freedom. I can’t help but think that if I hadn’t broken in and rescued Lukas that night, he might have been forced to work for Solem, and then, by association, he’d look just as guilty. It’s all so messy. Where does one even draw the line between complicity and victimhood? Rowan’s measured questions and observations leave me with more questions than answers. I squeeze Lukas’s hand lightly, silently willing him to stay with me in this conversation. I need his steady reassurance more than ever right now.
“Could you maybe… Just wait?” I blurt out. Rowan frowns.
“Wait? Wait for what?” She asks, clearly confused. I take a deep breath, realising that my panicked response didn’t make any sense.
“I meant… Not intervene just yet.” I clarify quickly.
“Or if you have to do something, just focus on Solem.” I add. Rowan raises an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest.
“It’s my responsibility to intervene in this kind of situation. Why would I hold back?” She questions. Her words could sound vaguely threatening, but they don’t. She isn’t saying it as a warning, she’s genuinely asking. She wants to know if I have a real and valid reason for her to wait. I hesitate, trying to organise my thoughts into something that actually makes sense.
“Because…” I start, then trail off, forcing myself to think.
“There are a lot of innocent people involved.” I say finally.
“People who might get caught up in it if you step in now.” I point out. Rowan’s gaze stays fixed on me, unreadable.
“We are making progress. We rescued Wren. We’ve been learning more about Solem’s plans and his allies. Can’t you just… Hold off for a while? Give us a chance to try and fix things ourselves?” I plead. I know my reasoning sounds weak. Even I can hear how desperate I sound. We don’t even have a real plan. Why should she wait for us to stumble around aimlessly while everything falls apart even further? I struggle to come up with something more convincing.
“Lukas is… Uniquely qualified for gathering information.” I say finally.
“With his magic…” I falter, realising that I don’t have a proper explanation for MY involvement. What am I supposed to say? ‘Oh, I’m just here because I got caught up in this mess and now I have attachment issues?’ Before I can come up with a better answer, Lukas finally speaks. His voice is calm, but it carries an edge of certainty.
“She’s my anchor. She helps me use my magic safely.” He says simply. Rowan’s gaze flicks between us, assessing. For a moment, she doesn’t say anything. Then she exhales sharply.
“You do realise that every day I hold off is another day we risk Solem harming or killing someone new.” She points out. I nod slowly, my throat tight.
“Yes,” I say quietly.
“But think about all the innocent people who would be at risk if you step in now.” I remind her, meeting her gaze, trying to make her understand.
“There are people who don’t deserve to die.” I continue.
“If you give us a little more time, we can find out who is truly guilty, who actually needs to be stopped. We can tell you. We just need more time.” I persist. Rowan watches me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she glances over at Andrew. He gives her a slow, encouraging nod. Rowan exhales through her nose, rubbing a hand over her face.
“Alright. Fine.” She says finally. I let out a breath I didn’t realise I was holding.
“One week, I’ll wait one week for you two to gather more information and bring it to me.” She continues. Then she meets my gaze, her expression firm.
“After that, I’m stepping in. Whether you’re ready or not.”