All Roads Lead to Rome

Blinded

Lyra was sitting at a table down on the floor, watching the activity in the club while she nursed a glass of wine. People packed the bar as Leonardo set his expertise to keeping drinks flowing. Gadgets wowed the patrons as he created their drinks with a flourishing flash of light. Laughter rang out from the area in front of the stage as Pan engaged in a silly parody to entertain the crowd. No signs of trouble or of the war that others were readying for, backstage and in the crowd.

If she looked up, she knew she would see Romulus walking through the defenses with Erick, his newly found protege. The man was being left in charge for the little amount of time they were going to spend away. She smiled as Romulus put a hand on Erick's shoulder to steady him as he leaned over the railing to examine the crossbows. He would make a good father. The thought startled her a moment and she took a drink. Being a parent isn't something she had ever considered, but it seemed unnatural for these two not to... Ok, focus, she told herself. She had a purpose down here. Planning a future on that front could wait.

Admiring whistles broke out from the pack of wolves by the bar and Lyra looked up. A dark-haired curvy woman was sauntering towards the table. And here was that purpose.

"Tala, I take it?" Lyra asked, extending her hand as she rose. The woman took her hand briefly then sat.

"Yes. You must be Lyra." She sat a small bag on the table.

"I am. Sorry about the rabble." She gestured towards the pack. Tala laughed.

"Don't worry about that. Wolves are attracted to me. Comes from the whole lunar witch thing. I'm making a delivery for your boyfriend."

"The charm? You finished it?"

Tala opened the bag to reveal a simple seashell on a chain.

"We did and I also come bearing a warning. You have a rat. Our alliance is no longer a secret."
"Romulus said his brother had already contacted you," Lyra said slowly, glancing over at Antares, who straightened from where he was leaning on the bar. He ignored the lust filled offers spawned by the magic radiating from him and began making his way through the crowd.

"Yes, but someone knows specifically that we are helping Romulus."
Lyra's gaze went up to the balcony and Romulus met her eyes questioningly.

"Problem?" he inquired.

"Maybe."

"I'll be right down. Antares can take over here."

"The boy needs to eat anyway. Send him down." Antares' voice sent shivers through them both. Lyra looked back at Tala.

"Romulus will be right down. You can finish telling him then."
"Does it ever get annoying having them in your head?" Tala asked, having watched intently. "That seems like it would drive me crazy."
"Romulus only does it when I give him permission to. He's big on talking things out. Antares mainly uses it to flirt, so I don't mind that too much." she responded absently. Stan came up and whispered in her ear. She sat up and looked at him. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. She blew out a breath and looked at Tala. "Would you mind taking a detour up to VIP? We promised no one in your family would be at risk in this. Stan, go back to the door."
"What's the problem?"

"We have company," she responded looking at Romulus as he reached her side, Antares just a step behind. He nodded, his eyes hard. He had smelled them the moment they had come through the doors. He slid the shell necklace into his pocket.

"I'm curious as to how they got around the shield," he said softly then shook himself. "Antares, Erick could you please show Tala to our VIP lounge?"