Cassian had spent the past two days feeling frustrated, a feeling that hadn't lessened since his day off. It only grew when he found out that Katherine was doing fine and wouldn't need another massage anytime soon. He poured that pent-up energy into copying her book, making steady progress despite his annoyance.
As he focused on the finishing copying down the first page, Robert suddenly barged in, calling out, "You home?" His loud voice echoed through the room as he stepped inside, spotting Cassian with a sigh. With a smirk, he added, "Guess you are."
Cassian glanced up with a sarcastic expression. "Yeah, as you can see, I'm home. What do you want?" he replied, setting the books aside.
Robert's smirk faded into a serious expression. "Well, since we're both free, I thought we might do some investigating on our case."
Cassian considered Robert's suggestion and nodded. "Yeah, we've been tied up all week," he agreed, referring to the Circle warrior who had attacked them a few days ago. They had planned to investigate in their free time, but neither had found much of it—Cassian had gotten a bit, but he'd been too preoccupied with his time spent massaging Katherine to remember.
"So, where do we start? Want to check out the weapon smithies around the city to see if anyone knows about the blade? There are a lot of them just in our area," Robert suggested, though even he didn't sound too enthusiastic about it. Cassian wasn't thrilled either; their investigation into the family massacres had already involved a lot of travel and chasing vague leads.
Cassian shook his head. "I'm not up for that, and it's a long shot anyway. Chances are, that blade wasn't even made by a local smith," he said, thinking for a moment before adding, "The guy who attacked us was definitely a lawless type, probably with a record. How about we check out some of the spots where criminals usually hang around?"
"Like a spy in disguise..." Robert said with an excited grin.
"Yeah, exactly like that," Cassian added, matching his friend's enthusiasm.
"Well then, we'll need some good disguises..." Robert said, rushing off eagerly. "Meet me in the hallway in ten... and make sure you're in disguise!"
A short while later, they both gathered in the hallway, transformed. Cassian took one look at Robert—his hair now styled into stiff spikes, dark circles drawn under his eyes, but still wearing the same clothes—and couldn't help but tease, "You definitely look like a criminal with those ominous dark circles and that thug-like hairstyle."
Cassian had gone for a darker look, with rumpled clothes, sleeves rolled up, and his collar popped. He furrowed his brows to appear perpetually annoyed, really leaning into the thug persona. Robert seemed genuinely impressed, saying, "Damn, you actually look like a thug..."
Cassian smirked at the compliment, then helped Robert roughen up his own appearance a bit more. Once they were both ready, he asked, "So, where do we find a spot where criminals hang out?"
"I heard there's a place outside the city. I remember Commandant Sher mentioning it once," Robert replied, reminding Cassian of the tough, no-nonsense older woman who was surprisingly powerful in her own right.
"Outside the city, meaning those settlements around the city walls?" Cassian asked, recalling the outskirts. The houses there weren't as clean or well-maintained as those inside the city, and they had a rougher edge to them. There always seemed to be more shady dealings outside—but then again, considering recent events and the family murders, the inside wasn't exactly a beacon of virtue either.
"We should remember, there might be danger," Cassian cautioned. Robert grinned and handed him a simple long knife, revealing that he had another one for himself.
"Hide it in your pants or somewhere discreet. Most criminals I've caught carry concealed weapons—they rarely show them off unless they're Circle Warriors or high-class criminals," Robert explained, tucking his own knife somewhere inside his shirt.
Cassian, still a bit unsure, tucked the knife into his pants, though he couldn't help worrying that it might cut him since it didn't have a sheath.
Robert glanced around the hallway, ensuring no one else was nearby, then leaned in closer to Cassian. "We're heading to a place called Rose's Veno. It's a bar with a bit of a reputation—known for its shady dealings," he said, his tone growing more serious. "Even Commandant Sher knows about it. Some of the higher-ups do, too, but they turn a blind eye because it's... useful.
It's kind of a neutral ground, a place where criminals and underworld types gather. If anyone's got info on our mystery attacker, it'll be there."
Cassian raised an eyebrow. "And we're just going to waltz right in?"
Robert shrugged with a smirk. "More or less. The bar's neutrality means most folks keep their fights outside, not inside. Plus, with our disguises, we should be able to blend in enough to get some info. We're not looking to start trouble—just ask some questions and see if anything leads back to our ranged Circle Warrior."
Cassian adjusted the knife tucked in his waistband, still a bit wary but feeling a spark of excitement. "Alright, let's do this. But if things go sideways, don't expect me to save your ass."
"We'll see who's saving whose ass..." Robert smirked as they made their way out of the city. It was only the second time Cassian had crossed the city walls.
A long line of people waited to enter the city, just like when Cassian had first arrived. Outside, the streets were busy, with people moving about, though they looked a bit poorer and the buildings not as tall. Still, it was far better than the slums Cassian once called home.
Navigating through these buildings and the narrow alleys between them, Robert led the way, getting lost a few times. After a few hours, they finally arrived at their destination.
By then, Cassian had grown cranky, his expression naturally contorted into a scowl that suited his thug disguise as they stopped in front of a bustling bar, noise spilling out with a steady stream of patrons going in and out.
"Next time, for fuck sakes, let me ask for the fucking directions," Cassian grumbled, frustration clear in his voice as he pushed open the door. Robert, still grinning despite the long trek, followed him—until strong hands suddenly grabbed their shoulders, pulling them back with surprising force. They froze, recognizing the familiar voice that growled in their ears, "What are you two doing here?"