"What was that thing, my lady?" Cassian asked, his voice a mix of confusion and awe as Katherine tended to his wounds. A warm, gentle flame enveloped his body, radiating a transparent orange hue that illuminated the dark, cold mountain air around them. The pain slowly ebbed away, replaced by a deep sense of relief.
They had teleported to the mountains behind the castle, miles away. Cassian hadn't realized Katherine was capable of such powerful magic, but after seeing her disintegrate the creature with a single spell, he now understood her abilities went far beyond what he had imagined.
"That creature is called an Eidolon Spawn," Katherine replied, her voice carrying a note of contempt. Her expression darkened as she continued, "They're artificially created and embedded into living bodies. You could think of them as a kind of... living spell. But it's taboo to use one. Few know how to create them."
Though she was explaining to him, her gaze seemed distant, lost in thought, as if she were piecing together a mystery of her own. Cassian could tell she wasn't just sharing knowledge—she was trying to figure out who had the skill and audacity to make something as twisted as an Eidolon Spawn.
Cassian, not noticing Katherine's contemplative look, spoke up, "Well, whatever that thing was, Captain Tyron wasn't a match for it."
Katherine snapped out of her thoughts and gave a small smile. "An Eidolon Spawn, even the weakest one, is stronger than a Fourth Circle warrior. Tyron is just a Third Circle warrior, so it's a surprise he managed to block any of its blows at all." Her eyes flickered with amusement. "And you, you managed to block one too. Consider yourself lucky."
With that, she stopped the warm flame, letting the healing energy dissipate as she finished tending to his wounds.
"The healing spell works well enough for muscles, veins, and other soft tissues, but for your bones to heal properly, you'll need to drink a bone-repairing potion," Katherine said as she dusted off her clothes.
Cassian stretched his body carefully, feeling much less pain than before. Like she said, his bones were still fractured, but the healing of his muscles had helped realign them, making movement less painful. He could manage light movements without much issue, though he knew he wasn't fully recovered yet.
Now free of most of the pain, he glanced around, realizing they were standing in the midst of a dense forest near a rough, uneven path. Having just followed along without knowing what was happening, he finally asked, "Where are we going now, my lady?"
All their belongings had been left behind at the castle, with the only thing Cassian carried being his wooden sword, which looked as good as new.
"We're going to wait," Katherine said, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. They were still on the mountain, and the path sloped either up or down depending on the direction, but her eyes were focused intently on the incline, watching for something—or someone.
"Wait for what?" Cassian asked, his curiosity piqued.
"My friend," Katherine replied, glancing up the road again. "I sent her a message when I decided we were leaving the castle. We got here a bit early, but she should arrive any second now." She then looked back at him, still holding his hand—the one that had taken the brunt of the creature's attack.
"They might have bone-repairing potions, so bear with it until then," she added with a slight smile, her tone gentle but firm, as if she knew the pain was still gnawing at him.
As they waited in the quiet of the mountain path, Cassian's gaze wandered down the incline. Moments later, the distant rumble of hooves and wheels reached his ears, gradually growing louder. A dark blue carriage appeared from around the bend, its polished surface gleaming under the fading sunlight.
The carriage was elegant yet sturdy, and as it approached, Cassian noticed the distinct emblem carved into both of its doors: a man wielding a spear, poised as though ready to throw it.
Something about the symbol tugged at Cassian's memory. He furrowed his brow, trying to recall where he'd seen it before. Then it hit him—it was from that book with the ridiculously long title that he'd struggled to finish. The emblem belonged to the Alacio family, a new lineage of earls, established by a close friend of the last Duke, Katherine's grandfather.
It wasn't a surprise to Cassian that Katherine referred to whoever was coming as her friend. The Alacio family and the Ven Dyke family had a long history of close ties, even with marriages between the two.
The carriage rolled to a stop in front of them, the coachman giving a nod in acknowledgment. Katherine climbed in without hesitation, calling back over her shoulder, "Hop in..."
Inside, there was already a woman seated by the window, staring out at the deep valley below, bathed in moonlight. Her flawless skin seemed to shimmer in the soft glow, and her dark violet hair framed her face, cascading over her shoulders. She wore earrings—a shade of violet that matched her hair—slightly oversized but elegantly shaped.
She seemed a little bored as she turned toward Katherine, a smirk curling her lips.
"Hey, bitch," she greeted Katherine with casual familiarity.
Cassian was surprised—he had expected the kind of formal greetings usually exchanged between nobles. But instead, Katherine's voice was filled with frustration. "How many times have I told you not to call me a bitch, Rowena?"
Rowena, the violet-haired woman, didn't bother responding to Katherine's complaint. Instead, her amused gaze shifted to Cassian, who gave her a polite bow. With a smirk, she said, "I see you've brought some company, or should I say a partner? Running away from home with him, are we? Though he seems a bit too young for you, Katherine."
Cassian found himself at a loss for words, but Katherine quickly stepped in to save him from further embarrassment. "Don't joke around, Rowena. He's my servant, and he's injured. Do you have a bone-repairing potion on you?" she asked, her tone firm but casual.