Cassian questioned several locals about the situation in Karmen, and their responses were filled with curses aimed at the earl’s three children, especially the eldest daughter, a formidable Fifth Circle Warrior, who led the army. She was widely blamed for the heavy losses the Karmen family had suffered.
No one clarified the underlying issues, but it led Cassian to wonder if she might be a clone replacement.
"So, if this princess is causing all the trouble, why doesn’t the earl take command himself? Even if he’s arrogant, he wouldn’t be so reckless as to lose capable soldiers to the point where his earldom starts to crumble. I even saw people in the city packing up to leave," Cassian said as he entered the inn room he’d booked for the night with Lumine. They weren’t due to head to the battlefield until tomorrow.
As Lumine stepped into the spacious room, adorned with luxurious furniture, she remarked, "Aren’t you a bit too interested in all this?" Glancing out the window at a picturesque lake beyond a well-paved road, she added, "And why rent such an expensive room? A smaller one at a modest inn would’ve been fine."
Cassian approached her with a grin, wrapping his arms around her from behind and kissing the side of her neck. "I may be a bastard of the Ven Dyke family, but I’m rich enough to buy this place ten times over," he said. He wasn’t exaggerating—last night, he’d taken the space rings from the cult members he’d killed, amassing enough wealth to make him quite affluent. "And I don’t mind spending all of it to enjoy a good time with you, my love," he added, kissing her cheek, which made her giggle, before planting another on her lips.
"As for the earl’s situation, of course I’m interested," Cassian continued, grabbing a grape from the fruit bowl on the table. "Figuring out what’s going on here tells us who we can trust to follow orders from. If the earl’s daughter is a bad leader, at least we’ll know who not to take orders from."
"From what we’ve heard, she might actually be a terrible leader. Even the soldiers we passed in the city were cursing her name," Lumine said. Cassian nodded, but something felt off. Why would the earl allow his daughter to tarnish his reputation ? If he couldn’t lead the army himself for whatever reason, why not appoint a trusted aide?
"I get that some nobles land positions they don’t deserve, but those types usually don’t last long. The earl’s daughter might be one of them, but the earl himself doesn’t strike me as that kind of noble, despite his arrogance," Cassian said, sitting on the bed and popping another grape into his mouth.
Lumine leaned in close, her flawless, marble-like skin glowing under the light, her silver eyelashes framing bright silver eyes with a faint blue tint, sparkling playfully. She plucked a grape from the same bunch Cassian was eating, her glossy pink lips brushing against it as she mumbled, "If you’re that curious, you could ask Alix. She’s tight with our commander—he might know something."
Cassian watched her chew, her smile radiant as she sat next to him. "Alix has been pretty bitchy with me lately, so I doubt she’d share anything," he replied, picking a grape and placing it between his lips. Leaning toward Lumine, who raised an eyebrow in surprise, he gently passed the grape to her mouth and added, "Why don’t you ask her? She might talk to you. She and the commander have to know something, even if they keep it quiet. No way they’re ignoring all the gossip around here."
"Enough about them," Lumine said, snatching the grapes from Cassian’s hands. She climbed onto his lap, knees straddling his waist, and added with a playful smirk, "We didn’t get this fancy room just to talk, did we?" She guided his free hand to her backside, encouraging him to give it a squeeze.
Cassian chuckled at her boldness. "I thought you might be a bit nervous, so I was just making conversation to help you settle in," he said, pulling her closer as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist.
"Why would I be nervous? It’s not my first time alone with you," Lumine said, her face puzzled. Then, feeling Cassian’s hands squeeze her backside and spread slightly, she grinned. "Especially with you and those perverted hands of yours."
"Hey, you put them there," Cassian shot back, feigning offense with a smirk. "They’re just doing their best on a fine ass like that." He leaned in, kissing just below her neck, inhaling her scent as if it were the most intoxicating thing he’d ever encountered.
Lumine let out a low groan as he kissed her neck again. She yanked his head back, diving into a messy kiss, her tongue wrestling with his as she ground her hips against him. Cassian’s hands slid from her butt up under her shirt, feeling the tight, muscular lines of her back and waist. She was a warrior, all lean and strong, and he was into those hard-earned curves. His hands roamed her back as she kissed him hard, her fingers digging into his hair, keeping his face locked in place.
As Lumine broke the kiss, her hands quickly worked to unbutton her shirt. With a wide grin, she said, "See? Not nervous at all."
Cassian chuckled, diving toward her exposed chest, his nose grazing her cleavage as he took in her scent. She let out a giggle, squirming. "That tickles, you idiot," she said, his hot breath making her laugh. But her hands didn’t stop, swiftly unbuttoning the rest of her shirt and tossing it aside. She reached for her bra, unhooking it and letting it drop. Cassian didn’t waste a second, his mouth finding pinkish nipples on her perfectly shaped breasts.
Though they were a perfect handful, Cassian wouldn’t complain if they were a bit bigger. He’d heard some rumor that constant attention could make them grow, and he was game to put it to the test. Lumine let out a sharp moan as he dove in with enthusiasm.