Fortunately for Cassian, Rowena Alacio did indeed have a bone-repairing potion. After drinking it, he felt a tingling sensation running through his body, almost like an itch he couldn't scratch, as his bones began to heal. Once the sensation subsided and he felt fully recovered, he nodded in gratitude and said, "Thank you, Lady Rowena. I won't forget your help today."
Rowena's purple eyes gleamed with mischief as she leaned in slightly, a playful grin on her lips. "You should forget it, because I'm not doing it for free," she teased. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she added, "So, what exactly do you do for your lady here?" She gestured toward Katherine with a quick glance.
Katherine, uninterested in the conversation, was staring out the window, clearly not wanting to engage. Cassian noticed her indifference and decided to answer quickly, "I'm responsible for cleaning Lady Katherine's room."
A sympathetic expression crossed Rowena's face. "Oh, you've got it tough, huh?" she said with a knowing smile. Cassian understood the implication and nearly nodded in agreement but held back as Rowena continued, "You should really see a good healer, you perfectionist psychopath."
Her comment was clearly aimed at Katherine, who remained indifferent, which seemed to annoy Rowena slightly. Seeing she wasn't getting the reaction she wanted from Katherine, Rowena leaned back and addressed Cassian directly. "Well, Cassian, unlike her, I'm not going to make you arrange things for me. So tell me, what else can you do to repay me for the bone-repairing potion?
keep in mind, It was quite expensive, so simple things won't do."
Finally, Katherine intervened in their conversation, her voice firm. "Don't mess with him, Rowena. He's just come out of a life-threatening situation."
Rowena's eyes lit up, a wide grin spreading across her face as she teased, "Doesn't matter to me what kind of situation he came from—especially since you haven't told me anything about it." She smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction she got from Katherine. "I came all this way to help you, and you're not even telling me why you're running away from home."
Katherine's expression tightened in frustration. Rowena was the same age as her but had always been more bratty, even though she was clever when she wanted to be. Normally, it was manageable, but today, Katherine had too much on her mind. With a sigh, she relented. "Have you heard about the terrorist attack at Scarlet Castle last month?" she began, her voice more serious.
"Yeah," Rowena nodded, then scoffed. "Those damned nobles deserved what they got. One of them was even involved in human trafficking. I can't believe your people didn't know about it."
Katherine bristled slightly, feeling the sting of Rowena's criticism aimed directly at the Ven Dyke family for their failure to address corruption. However, she knew Rowena was right, so she didn't argue and continued, "Well, the leader of that terrorist group managed to slip into the inner castle and then—guess what—he tried to assassinate me."
Rowena's eyes widened in realization as she turned to Cassian. "So, that's why he's hurt. He tried to save you…"
"Lady Katherine was the one who saved me," Cassian interjected, a hint of embarrassment coloring his voice.
Rowena's confusion was evident, and Katherine chose not to clarify. Instead, she continued, "Then I contacted you using the mana interceptor and delivered the message."
Rowena's bewilderment only deepened. She looked at Katherine with a mix of amusement and disbelief. "So, an assassination attempt was the reason for you to leave the safest place you could be, rather than staying there to avoid future attacks?"
Katherine averted her gaze, a hint of guilt in her expression. "As you know, I was planning to go to Magisteria a few months later. But after the assassination attempt, my mother wouldn't even let me step outside my room. So, I had no choice but to run away."
Rowena's shock quickly turned into anger. "You psycho bitch! She's going to kill me if she finds out I helped you escape."
Katherine, still gazing out the window, replied calmly, "Just tell her I forced you to do it."
Rowena's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, like you could force me." Her irritation was palpable, but she softened slightly upon seeing Katherine's untroubled expression. She then turned to Cassian, who was also looking out the window. While his view was dominated by rugged rocks, Katherine's was of a deep valley bathed in moonlight.
Rowena's smile returned as she asked, "So, where were we? Right—how are you going to repay me for that pricey bone-repairing potion? Got any ideas?"
Cassian looked puzzled, unsure if she was teasing him like Katherine had suggested. With Katherine remaining silent, Cassian hesitated before responding, "I could give you a foot massage?"
"Oh, a foot massage?" Rowena's eyes sparkled with surprise. She glanced at Katherine, who was trying to hide her reaction, but Rowena caught it nonetheless. "That's a rather peculiar way to repay me, don't you think?"
Cassian struggled to think of another way to repay her. He wasn't particularly strong or heroic; he could only offer to be there if she needed him, but that seemed inadequate. As the pressure of her mischievous gaze mounted, he fumbled and blurted out, "My body…"
Katherine stared at him, shocked by his response, while Rowena chuckled and said, "That sounds interesting, but you're a bit too young for me to consider that offer. A foot massage will do just fine, though.
Actually, why don't you give my whole legs a massage if you can?" She lifted her legs and placed them on the seat, continuing, "I've been quite busy the past two weeks, so it might help relieve some of my tension."
Cassian looked slightly disappointed that she rejected his offer to use his whole body to repay her. Still, he thought to himself, at least he'd get to touch her thighs if he did a good job with her feet. Moving to sit near her feet, he asked, "So, do you want a full leg massage—calves, thighs, and all? Or just the calves and feet?"
Rowena, amused by his eagerness, smirked and said, "Start with my feet. I'll decide how much of my legs need massaging after that."