"According to the schedule we can expect the first attack tonight, and since it’s Crivelli we can expect it to be just after nightfall; they like their early mornings." While Isadora addressed the assembled garzoni, Elena bit her lip and glanced from face to face. They showed none of the hesitation that had greeted her plan, none of the sidewise glances or furrowed brows. “Obviously the more difficult attacks to deal with will be towards the end, when we’re worn out and the attackers are still fresh.” The attention and nods conveyed nothing but respect towards Isadora. It was hard not to be a little hurt by the difference in reactions between Elena and her studiomate, but she tried to ignore the sting.

She’s been here for years, she’s earned their respect and I haven’t yet, that’s all. I’ll get there someday.

“Tonight is the only night with one attack, and that’s only because Foscari aren’t joining in. From there on we’ll be getting hit at least twice a night, for seven days provided they stick to the schedule here. Any questions so far?”

“Why are De Luca and Malatesta so late in the schedule?” Dolce asked, looking down at the schedule that Isadora held out for inspection, “they don’t even hit us the first time until day four.”

“By that time they’re hoping we’ll be worn down completely,” Isadora said, “De Luca and Malatesta want to just walk in and take our coins the easiest. They’re highest in the hierarchy, and Malatesta feels slighted; they probably feel like they deserve it. Any other questions, or should we get to work preparing?”

“Did I miss the meeting where we decided to trust Studio Foscari?” Ercole nodded in the direction of Owl, who sat at the corner of the table behind Isadora. “No offense, but I notice Master Foscari signed this schedule as well.”

“No offense taken,” Owl’s fingers rested lightly on a small book that rested on the table, and he drummed his fingers along the cover, “you don’t know us. That said, we have absolutely nothing to gain by telling you we’re attacking, giving you the schedule and a day’s head-start. We hoped that alone would act as a token of good faith.”

“Maybe you just like playing fair,” Ercole narrowed his eyes, “maybe your studio just wants to fighting their enemy face-to-face.”

“No, you’re thinking of Studio Nencia; honor-bound and combat-mad. The idea of putting ourselves at a disadvantage because of some idealized version of reality is entirely the opposite of our Studio’s modus operandi.”

“You’ll have to forgive us, but it’s a bit of a paranoid time for Studio DaRose, what with discovering a city-wide hit list on us and all,” Isadora said, “maybe you can indulge us and tell us why you felt the need to give us the information? Especially since we just raided your studio for all of its coins not too long ago.”

Owl was quiet for a few moments, his fingers drumming a pattern onto the cover of his book. Elena could almost hear the gears spinning around in his head, though she had no clue what he could be thinking over.

“If I had to describe Studio Foscari in a single word, that word would be ‘realists’,” he finally said. “We try to see the ramifications of everything that happens between the Studios. The fact that you took our coins didn’t enter much into our discussions. The very real possibility that Studio DaRose might be hit so hard it could shut down? That did.”

“Studio DaRose can’t be shut down!” Festo protested, “there’s no way we would let that happen!”

Owl gave a sad smile. It wasn’t a lopsided grin like Niccolo’s, or a wide toothy smile like Arturo’s, but Elena sort of liked it.

“It’s those kinds of statements we try to avoid,” Owl said, “you are free to say ‘we won’t let it happen’, but I don’t think Coin Collector cares what you’ll let happen when he comes by and your studio has too much due.”

“Why do you care if Studio DaRose shuts down?”

“Do you know where Studio Foscari is, in the hierarchy?”

“You’re second-to-last, aren’t you?” Elena guessed, “if Studio DaRose closes, you’ll be last?”

“Not quite, although you’re thinking in the right direction. The fact that you don’t know is exactly what we want to cultivate. When a Studio closes, it knocks everyone out of their comfortable patterns and forces them to look around. Forces them to re-evaluate Studios they’ve dismissed before.”

“So...what, you don’t want to be noticed?” Dolce asked incredulously.

“It’s worked for us so far,” Owl nodded, “in everything we want to accomplish. We’re quiet, and no one bothers with us. Did you know that Foscari hasn’t lost a single coin in the past four months except for your last raid? We used Faberi-made locks, hidden bunkers, kept out of sight, out of mind. Raids come by, gain no coins, and don’t bother coming by again.”

“You haven’t won any coins, either,” Arturo retorted, a little sharply Elena thought.

“Winning makes you enemies, and enemies work to find out about you, to find your weaknesses and exploit them. You DaRose garzoni are all clever, you’ve probably already pinpointed studio weaknesses and how to capitalize on them.”

I really should’ve done that, Elena realized, I wish I could get my models to work...

Arturo ticked off on his fingers, “De Luca has palace connections, always gets whatever garzoni he wants. Malatesta knows everything. Gritti has the poisons and potions, Crivelli’s full of idiots, Nencia has self-righteous fighters, and DaRose doesn’t have weaknesses.”

“I think the more common thinking is that DaRose has...if you’ll pardon me...the misfits.”

Isadora opened her mouth, looked around her at the assembled garzoni, and closed it again.

“And Studio Foscari?” Owl continued, “what do you know about us?”

“You’re acting like Studio Foscari is invisible,” Arturo snarled.

Elena looked around her as the pregnant pause stretched.

“You don’t do a lot of raids?” Arturo said.

“They don’t make Touched art,” Dolce supplied.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“I heard that they were all Mortalis,” Arta said hesitantly.

“I couldn’t talk to you if I weren’t Stormtouched,” Owl pointed out. Elena thought back to their raid on Foscari, trying to remember details that she’d learned. The studio was ugly on the outside, but the extra space had been put to good use with huge personal workshops, filled with high quality supplies. The students themselves had been sleeping in an underground bunker, Owl had boasted that the lock to that bunker was Faberi-made, and however they’d locked themselves in, the rug that covered their bunker’s trapdoor had been pulled neatly back into place.

“You have Faberi garzoni,” Elena said slowly, breaking the silence, “you told me that much. I should’ve paid attention to how many of your students had Echoes sleeping around them, that would’ve told me how many Stormtouched you have.” Owl watched her closely as she continued, not making a move, “I know that Master Foscari isn’t brought to court often, but there was so much high-quality furniture and supplies, almost as much as De Luca’s studio...and you have the money for servants to clean and to pull the rug back over your trapdoor before they leave. I think...I think Studio Foscari is rich?”

“Yes, we worried that DaRose might be this perceptive when you raided us,” Owl sighed, “another reason we decided we’d rather be with you than against you. But my main point is that none of the other Studios know that.”

Elena beamed. She couldn’t remember anyone ever referring to her as ‘perceptive’ before.

“You’re going off on tangents when we’ve got less than a day to prepare for a weeklong siege,” Isadora snapped, “was there a point, Owl?”

“Ah, yes, I’m sorry. It’s a simple matter of risk versus reward. If one counts only liquid assets- that means only florins, not studio coins or court credit,” he explained to a confused looking Festo, “-then Studio Foscari is in fact the richest Studio in Milia. We stay under the radar, we keep out of battles, and we spend all of our time quietly observing and making goods to sell.”

“‘Goods’, not art? You’re a Faberi studio?” Arta asked. Arturo shot a look in Elena’s direction, although she wasn’t entirely sure why. It wasn’t so surprising that other studios had Faberi, was it? Or was he angry at her for not making goods to sell for DaRose?

“We’re a Studio that believes there’s no art quite like the art of giving people what they want in exchange for florins,” Owl smiled, “not all of us are Faberi any more than every Studio Nencia garzoni is a Lanisti, but as long as the other Studios are casting Faberi aside, we have no problem snatching them up.”

“Not all of them,” Dolce threw her arm around Elena’s shoulder, “not the best one.”

“Hmmm...” Owl said noncommittally, looking at Elena thoughtfully.

“Tangents again,” Isadora growled, “you were talking about ‘risk and reward’.”

“Yes, risk and reward, of course. As long as Foscari stays out of fights, we remain unmolested and comfortable, but we can never move up the hierarchy.”

“So you want to join forces with another Studio who can help you move up while you stay unnoticed.”

“Precisely.”

“And you chose the one Studio that all of the others are turning against?”

“A very small chance of reward, it’s true, but also almost no risk to us,” Owl shrugged. “Besides, if Malatesta finds you threatening enough to organize a city-wide persecution against you, clearly they see you as a threat. You may very well be going places.”

“So let me get this straight,” Isadora folded her arms in front of her, “Studio Foscari is gathering pre-emptive favors for when we rise to the top of the hierarchy?”

“Or,” Arta pointed out, “Studio Foscari is offering to help us when we’re at our lowest, maybe even save our studio.”

“It’s not either of those things, we’re not making noble gestures or manipulative plans,” Owl broke in, “it’s just a....an investment. Studio Foscari is just doing what we do best.”

“Sounds an awful lot like what I said,” Isadora grumbled under her breath. “Fine. We don’t have the time to argue about this, we’ve got work to do. Thank you for the warning, Owl. We’ll be thinking your offer over.”

“We’ve got more to offer you than a warning, we’ll help you with whatever you need; materials, workers, name it. And in return-”

“Yes, yes, in return you’ll be remembered when Studio DaRose rises like a phoenix from the ashes of this hellish attack.” Isadora crumpled the schedule in her hand, “I understand the offer, I just don’t know if we’ll be accepting it or not. Now is not the best time to think it over.”

“Of course, I understand. Talk it over with your studiomates, with Master DaRose. You won’t want to make a light decision. Thank you for your time.” Owl rose, slipping his book into a pocket. Elena noted that he’d never had time to read a page, it was almost as if he just enjoyed carrying the book around with him like a talisman.

Isadora waited until Owl reached the door before she turned back to Elena. “What do we do to get ready?” She asked. Elena blinked, caught off guard, and belatedly realized that the others were looking at her as well.

“W-what?”

“You fixed the boiler. You know the Studio. You’re the Faberi, what do we need to do? What defenses should we build? How do we keep people out? What about traps or things like that? Don’t tell me the daylight attack was your only good idea!”

Elena glanced towards the door to find Owl still in the doorway, listening to the conversation with interest. When he saw her looking he gave his small smile and stepped out, shutting the door gently behind him. Elena wasn’t quite sure what to make of the boy, his quiet mannerisms or the offer he had just brought them, but she shook her head to clear it of such thoughts. She had bigger things to focus on right now.

“Alright,” she said to the assembled garzoni, “I do have a few ideas...”