Damian continued his explanation, his young face twisted with complicated emotions.
The plan had worked brilliantly—too brilliantly, in fact. Talia had come running the moment she heard her son needed her. But the problem was, Ra's al Ghul had followed right behind her.
And that wasn't even the worst part. Nyssa al Ghul, Ra's al Ghul's other daughter, had also shown up, dragged along by who-knows-what circumstances.
Now the Batcave had turned into an impromptu family reunion for the al Ghul clan, with Batman caught in the middle, and Oliver—the catalyst for this entire mess—standing there looking like he wished the ground would swallow him whole.
"So what are they arguing about?" Thea asked, fascinated despite herself.
Damian sighed, sounding far too world-weary for a ten-year-old. "Ra's wants Oliver to help him retake the League of Assassins. Batman doesn't want Oliver involved. Talia is torn between supporting her father and... whatever complicated feelings she has for Batman. And Nyssa..." He paused, making a face. "Nyssa has her own grievances with Ra's and is arguing that if anyone deserves to inherit the League, it should be her, not her father regaining control."
"And Oliver?"
"Oliver is realizing that trying to help his girlfriend's father might have been a spectacularly bad idea."
Thea bit back a laugh. This was absolutely priceless. She wished she had popcorn.
As if sensing her amusement, Damian shot her a resentful look. "You think this is funny? Do you have any idea how awkward this has been? They've been at it for hours!"
"Hours?" Thea's eyebrows shot up. "And nobody's thrown a punch yet? I'm actually impressed."
"Batman won't let it escalate to violence in the cave," Damian said primly. "He's very strict about that."
Down below, Ra's voice rose sharply. "The League of Assassins is my legacy! My birthright! I will not allow it to fall into the hands of that usurper—"
"Your 'legacy' involves mass murder and environmental terrorism," Batman cut in coldly. "I won't let Oliver help you reclaim it just so you can resume your genocidal plans."
"I seek balance!" Ra's thundered. "The world is dying, Detective! Someone must have the courage to—"
"To commit mass murder," Talia said quietly, her voice cutting through her father's rhetoric. "Father, perhaps it's time to consider that your way isn't the only way."
Ra's turned to her, and even from this distance, Thea could see the betrayal in his eyes. "You too, daughter? You would side with the Detective against your own blood?"
"I'm not siding with anyone," Talia said tiredly. "I'm asking you to think about whether reclaiming the League is truly worth all this conflict."
Nyssa laughed bitterly. "Oh, this is rich. The favored daughter suddenly develops a conscience? Where was this moral awakening when Father was grooming you to be his heir while I was left to rot?"
"That's not fair—" Talia began.
"Fair?" Nyssa's voice cracked like a whip. "You want to discuss what's fair? I've bled for the League. I've sacrificed everything. And yet he still sees me as nothing compared to his precious Talia!"
Oliver, looking absolutely miserable, tried to interject. "Maybe we should all just—"
"Stay out of this, Arrow," all three al Ghuls snapped in unison.
Oliver's face fell. He caught Thea's eye and mouthed a silent plea: Help me.
Thea just smiled sweetly and shook her head. This was his mess. He could clean it up.
"Entertaining, isn't it?" a smooth voice said beside her.
Thea turned to find Catwoman had wandered over, the small knife she'd been playing with now tucked away. Selina Kyle settled onto the steps with feline grace, her green eyes gleaming with amusement.
"When did you get here, Selina?"
"About twenty minutes before them." Catwoman gestured at the arguing group. "I was here for a completely unrelated reason—a professional matter Bruce wanted to discuss. Then this circus rolled in, and I decided to stay for the show." She grinned. "Worth every minute."
"I'll bet." Thea glanced at young Cassandra, who was watching everything with wide, curious eyes. At least the girl was getting an education in dysfunctional family dynamics. It might prepare her for whatever awaited in the world of masks and capes.
"So that's Ra's al Ghul?" Cassandra couldn't speak much yet—not properly—but Thea had gotten good at reading her expressions and minimal gestures. The girl was pointing subtly at the Demon's Head.
"That's him," Thea confirmed. "One of the world's most dangerous men. Also one of the most tedious to listen to when he gets on his soapbox about 'balance' and 'the greater good.'"
"Harsh but accurate," Catwoman murmured. "Though I notice you're not rushing down there to 'help' either."
"Why would I? This is the most entertainment I've had all week." Thea settled back more comfortably. "Besides, Batman can handle it. Probably."
As if to test that confidence, Ra's suddenly drew his sword.
The temperature in the cave dropped several degrees.
"Enough words," the Demon's Head declared. "If you will not help me willingly, Oliver Queen, then you leave me no choice."
Oliver's eyes widened. "Wait, what are you—"
"Batman," Ra's said softly, his blade catching the dim light. "I challenge you. If you defeat me, I will leave and trouble you no more. But if I win, the boy helps me reclaim what is mine."
"Father, no!" Talia stepped forward, but Ra's held up a hand.
"This is between the Detective and myself, daughter. Stay out of it."
Batman's jaw tightened. "I don't accept your terms."
"Then I will simply take what I want." Ra's eyes gleamed with dark promise. "You cannot stop me, Detective. Not without killing me. And we both know you won't cross that line."
The standoff stretched taut as a bowstring.
Then Damian stood up.
"I'll fight you," the boy said clearly.
Every head turned to stare at him.
"Damian—" Batman began.
"No." Damian descended the steps, his young face set with determination. "He's my grandfather. This is a family matter. If anyone's going to settle this, it should be me."
Ra's looked at his grandson with something approaching surprise. "You would challenge me, boy? You, who I trained myself?"
"You taught me to be strong," Damian said quietly. "But Batman taught me to be better than that. If you want Oliver's help, you go through me first."
For a long moment, nobody moved.
Then Ra's al Ghul smiled—a real smile, not his usual condescending smirk.
"Very well, grandson. Show me what the Detective has taught you."
Thea exchanged glances with Catwoman. This had just gotten a lot more interesting.
And possibly a lot more problematic.
Batman looked like he wanted to intervene, but Talia put a hand on his arm. "Let him," she murmured. "Damian needs to do this."
The boy and the ancient warrior faced each other in the center of the cave.
Thea leaned forward, genuinely curious now. Damian had been training with her in magic, true, but his combat skills were still developing. Ra's al Ghul, on the other hand, had centuries of experience.
This wouldn't be a fair fight.
But then again, when had anything in their world ever been fair?
"Should we stop this?" Barbara whispered to Dick.
Nightwing shook his head slowly. "Batman will intervene if it goes too far. But Damian... he's been waiting for this confrontation for a long time."
"He's ten years old," Barbara protested.
"He's also an al Ghul," Dick said grimly. "Age doesn't mean the same thing in that family."
Ra's and Damian began to circle each other.
Thea found herself holding her breath despite herself.
Whatever happened next, one thing was certain: dinner conversations at Wayne Manor were going to be awkward for a while.
Assuming they all survived this particular family reunion, of course.
Beside her, young Cassandra watched with rapt attention, absorbing every detail of the fighters' stances, their movements, their breathing.
Even still mostly silent and new to this world of heroes and villains, she recognized something important was happening.
A test. A challenge. A passing of something from one generation to the next.
And in the shadows of the Batcave, surrounded by secrets and history and the weight of countless battles, the wheel turned once more.
Thea smiled slightly. "Welcome to the family business, Cassandra," she murmured. "It's always this dramatic."
The girl's eyes gleamed with something that might have been excitement.
Or possibly terror.
With this crowd, it was hard to tell the difference.