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“What is. Family?” Spite’s voice came from incredibly close, waking Marianna from a dead sleep. She started up, pulling a dagger from between chaise cushions as she pushed herself away from the sound, but Spite grabbed her wrist and repeated his question. “What is. Family? Lucanis says. Three kinds, Family. Enemies. Contracts. What is. Family?” he demanded again. Blood rushing in her ears, heart pounding, she let out a string of curses in Antivan. She would have stabbed him with the knife in her other hand if he didn’t inhabit Lucanis’ body. Flopping back down on the couch, she put her head in her hands and stared at Spite. “Why are you asking me this now? Could it not keep until morning? Or maybe write me a letter?” Spite wrinkled his nose and frowned at her. “Lucanis. Is sleeping. Now. So I ask now”
Best to keep him happy and answer, she supposed. It would make sense that a demon wouldn’t understand the concept of family. “What is family? I don’t know. Family is who gives you life, raises you, teaches you, helps you. They are supposed to keep you safe. You share experiences and have memories with them no one else will ever have, good and bad. Some are amazing, and others terrible, most are in between that. Some you don’t get to choose, they are related by blood, some you choose, cobble them together from friends you meet along the way. It’s kind of complicated.” Spite stared at her for a few minutes, saying nothing. “Who is. Rook’s family?” Rook puffed her cheeks and blew the air out hard. “That my good demon, is a conversation to be had over drinks, once we all know each other better. Now come along, let’s get Lucanis back to bed so he can get some real rest.” And standing up Rook took Spite by the hand and led him back to the pantry.
Spite allowed himself to be led and stayed quiet as she got him settled on Lucanis’ cot. “Now be still and let him rest, as much as he can.” “Rook. Is Family?” Spite croaked when she was halfway to the door. She closed her eyes and sighed “Sure Spite, Rook is family” she answered, hoping to placate him. “Rook takes care, Rook helps, Rook brings together.” he continued, getting more excited again. “Shhh,” she sushed him, hurrying back to the cot. “Yes, Rook is family, now be still. We can talk more later.” “Talk. Later.” “Yes, later, now hush” and Rook sat down on the floor next to the cot and hummed wordlessly, hoping to soothe Spite into letting Lucanis rest.
Lucanis wrested control back from Spite and froze. Rook. Rook, sitting next to his cot, her back to him, singing quietly. In the back of his mind Spite chattered incoherently about Rook helps, Rook is family. What happened here? Why was she here? Mierda. What had Spite done? This last was directed silently at the spirit in his head. Spite cackled but didn’t answer. He either had to sit up and address Rook or pretend to be asleep and hopefully she would leave, letting him avoid whatever humiliation Spite had visited on him when he lost control and drifted off. He opted to fain sleep, shifting his position so he faced the wall and worked to regulate his breathing deep and even, hoping she believed him sleeping. He tried to catch the words of her song, but she was singing too softly to make out details. He listened intently, her voice soothing him until his eyelids grew heavy again. He wanted to fight and stay awake, but that would mean facing Rook. In his room, at night, just inches away from him. He never saw her leave, sleep rolled back over him with the gentle rhythm of her lullaby and for once Spite let him alone to rest.
“Marianna de Riva, demon whisperer.” she laughed softly to herself once Spite had grown quiet and the violet hue had faded from Lucanis’ eyes. He had been still for some time, breathing deep and even. She itched to bring him a blanket and pillow, tuck him in properly, but she knew she would find the offering neatly folded on the library table when she woke later in the morning. Besides, Lucanis would be mortified if he woke to proof she had been on a Spite minding mission all night and she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. She made her way out of the pantry quietly, pausing at the door to steal another look at him sleeping before she slipped out. “Rook is family.” She said, shaking her head, “Whatever that means right now.”.