Cassian was still in a trance from last night, as Russella had made him feel like he was in heaven with her throat. But as morning came, Cassian had to face reality. He was now sitting in a carriage with a newcomer whose name he didn't even know, as it didn't matter much to him.
The newcomer was merely a first-circle warrior from the village, hired to ensure Cassian's safe travel to the city. The driver was Daniel, whom Cassian knew a bit better than the new warrior. Daniel was also a second-circle warrior skilled in close combat.
Meanwhile, Cassandra and Dallas had gone to investigate the village where Pastor Abraham had helped a new family settle into the city. It would take them some time to confirm if those families were the ones who had been murdered, but not longer than it would take for Cassian to return from the city.
It would only take six days for him to return from the city—one and a half days for travel, the same amount of time spent there for rest and explaining what had happened, and two more days for the journey back.
He was set to be busy for the following week, but he was just as excited as he was the night before. Last night had been all about Russella, who had given him an incredibly pleasurable experience that he wished could last forever. This time, however, he was hoping for some fun with Katherine and Lucy.
With Katherine, he wasn't certain how it would go, as it was more of an experiment to see if she was truly awake or asleep while he was with her. With Lucy, he was confident there would be no issues—she seemed to enjoy him enough to welcome even the more humiliating moments without complaint.
With thoughts of what he planned to do in the city over the next two days and reflecting on what he had already accomplished, Cassian found himself with a bit of free time. His main task was to report his findings about the village, which included details on Pastor Abraham Cronus, and the Wan family. He also needed to mention that the pastor had helped other families move into the city, a lead his team was investigating and for which they needed reinforcements to expedite the case.
Additionally, Cassian needed to purchase a real sword. Thanks to the money earned from the monster carcass he had slain—and the one Cassandra had killed but graciously allowed him to claim—he was wealthier than before. Cassandra, already affluent, hadn't needed the spoils, so Cassian had taken them for himself.
Beyond buying a sword, there were other matters on his list, some fueled by his curiosity and more mischievous side. He needed to confirm if Lady Katherine was indeed the same as the heroine in the novels she read—a woman with a penchant for hidden desires.
As the carriage rolled on, the rhythmic clatter of hooves against the dirt path filled the air, blending with the occasional rustle of leaves from the forest lining the road. Cassian leaned back, the sun's rays filtering through the trees and casting dappled shadows on his face. The anticipation of the coming days made him smirk. The city, with its bustling markets and hidden corners, would provide more than just a stage for his investigation.
He glanced at Daniel, who was focused on guiding the horses. The hired warrior, a young man barely out of his training, sat stiffly beside him, hands gripping the hilt of his sword like it was a lifeline. Cassian's thoughts drifted, the image of Katherine's subtle smile as she read by the window mingling with memories of Lucy's eager laugh.
'I'm going to fuck them to knock out,' he thought with a smirk. He'd already accomplished that with Lucy, leaving her utterly spent and passed out after their intense session. With Katherine, he hadn't yet attempted such a feat, but the anticipation of seeing her reaction filled him with eagerness.
He recalled Lucy's expression as she succumbed to exhaustion: her tongue slightly slipping out, lips curled into a delirious smile, and eyes rolling back as she floated in a realm of pure bliss.
But all of this was still a few days away, and he found himself impatient for it. The memory of Russella's draining and skillful mouthwork from the night before left Cassian in a daze, questioning if he was even in reality or trapped in a dream where she kept pleasuring him endlessly.
He only snapped back to reality when he glanced down and didn't see her head moving up and down at his waist.
Cassian leaned back against the carriage seat, the rhythmic creaking of the wheels beneath him fading into the background as his thoughts drifted. He could still feel the phantom touch of Russella's lips and the way her tongue traced every vein and contour. The memory alone was enough to stir a familiar heat in his body.
He exhaled sharply, trying to regain control of himself. It wasn't the time or place to get lost in such thoughts, especially with the task at hand. The road to the city stretched ahead, promising both duty and indulgence. He needed to stay focused.
But even as he tried to focus on the mission ahead, images of Katherine and Lucy intertwined with his memories of Russella's touch, teasing him with what awaited in the days to come.
As his thoughts grew hazy, he mused, 'I hope Lady Katherine needs a massage...' He genuinely wished this from the bottom of his heart. It had been weeks since she'd had one, and he knew how difficult it was for her to go without. The absence of a massage left her enduring the same relentless pain that Russella felt whenever her tremors struck.
Thinking about Katherine, he also began considering how to confirm whether she had any hidden desires from the massage, or if she simply saw it as a way to relax. He wasn't sure what it was, but he made a plan to find out. If even the moves he made was met with no objection, he would take it as confirmation.