The night had been filled with unforgettable moments, and it was the second time Cassian felt his life had taken a sharp turn. But what stuck with him most was the ship's dive—at least, that's what he thought until he found himself lying next to a sleeping Katherine.
He clung to the edge of the bed, trying his best to fall asleep, but his restless mind wouldn't let him. He'd insisted on sleeping on the floor, but Katherine had refused, forcing him to lie beside her.
Now, he barely dared to move, holding his breath in fear of disturbing her. To make matters worse, his wandering thoughts kept urging him to sneak a glance at her while she slept, hoping to see a little more than he should.
Cassian fought the urge with all his will, but finally gave in and shifted his position. As he moved, he realized Katherine was already facing him, her yellow eyes wide open and staring, surprising him.
"Can't sleep?" she asked, her voice calm. Cassian quickly masked his expression and nodded.
"Me neither. Could you give me a massage? It helps me relax," she said, turning to lie on her back.
Though slightly annoyed by the request, Cassian smiled and nodded, feeling a bit of sympathy for her ever since he learned why she needed the massages. With a soft smile, he shifted to sit at her feet and gently raised her dress just enough to uncover her legs and feet. As he began, he made some small talk, "You seem to have quite a lot of experience with flying ships, my lady."
Katherine nodded with a soft smile as Cassian began massaging her legs, his fingers working out the tension in her muscles. "When I was studying, flying was my favorite thing to do in my free time. My master had a personal ship—it was way better than this standard one."
"Lady studied at Magisteria, right? Does lady's master live there too? Are we going to stay at his place?" Cassian asked eagerly, excited at the thought of seeing an even better flying ship and getting to ride it.
Katherine's smile faded slightly, turning a bit sad. "Unfortunately, my master is no longer with us, so no, we won't be staying at his home. But don't worry, we'll still get the chance to ride one of his ships."
"My apologies, my lady. I didn't know," Cassian said, bowing his head respectfully.
"Don't worry about it," Katherine said softly. "He died happy, content with everything he accomplished."
Cassian, still focused on massaging her feet, moved to the sensitive spots between her toes, a place that usually made her react more intensely. Sure enough, her breathing quickened, and soft, sweet moans slipped from her lips, her eyes becoming slightly misty.
Cassian, however, was too absorbed in his task to notice. He kept the conversation going, asking, "Was he a powerful mage?"
Katherine smiled through her shallow breaths. "Yeah, he was... but I'm stronger than him now."
"Oh, really?" Cassian asked, genuinely surprised. From what he knew, a master, especially one teaching noble children, wasn't an ordinary person. They were usually the strongest and most knowledgeable in their field. Since Lady Katherine was a mage, her master must have been incredibly powerful. If she was stronger than him now, she had to be quite a force within the magical circles.
Curiosity got the better of him as he asked, "How much stronger?"
"Enough to worry some important people," Katherine replied with a smirk, " And enough to send assassins."
Cassian's eyes widened in realization. The attack tonight wasn't just about targeting a princess of the Ven Dyke Duchy—it was to eliminate a rising power threatening those already in control.
If Cassian remembered correctly, there hadn't been any prominent mage in the Ven Dyke family for centuries, so Lady Katherine was likely a rare exception. That meant she had to be incredibly powerful. He didn't know how mages ranked their strength, like how warriors were classified—first-circle warrior, second-circle warrior, and so on, all the way to ninth-circle warriors.
But from what he could gather, she must be at a high level. He chose not to ask, not wanting to seem suspicious, and instead shifted the conversation to lighter topics. He asked her about other fun things she enjoyed, and soon her responses became shorter and less detailed, until they were just soft hums. Eventually, she went quiet.
By that time, Cassian had just finished massaging her legs and had moved up to her thighs, gently uncovering them. Almost all of her thighs were now visible—this was the first time he had seen them this bare, illuminated by the soft light.
Each time his hands pressed into them, they gently gave way before springing back, their surface smooth yet firm beneath his touch. As he massaged, a soft pink hue would bloom where his fingers applied pressure, the skin warming beneath the rhythm of his movements.
Despite his regular contact with her, the sheer size of her thighs never failed to amaze him. Even just above her knees, his hands couldn't fully grasp their circumference. They only grew thicker and fuller as he worked his way upward, the muscles firm beneath the surface, yet her skin still had a silky, yielding texture.
By the time his hands neared the top, he was awestruck again by how large they were—he doubted even with three hands he could completely wrap around one thigh.
Still, he took his time to check that, wanting to be cautious. As his hands roamed further, his fingers kneading deeply into the thick muscles, he gently raised her skirt little by little. Each time he revealed more, his eyes caught details he'd only ever glimpsed before—the delicate folds of her skin, the way her thighs sloped gracefully, filling out beneath the thin material.
The soft jiggle as his hands moved along her legs made him aware of how they weren't just toned, but plush, almost inviting.
Slowly, he continued massaging her, inching her skirt higher bit by bit. Each movement revealed more of what he had only caught glimpses of over the past month, as he had been massaging her thighs.