"So, he lives in the city and works as a delivery man, huh?" Killian asked, pouring a luminescent substance into a glass tube. The mixture turned into a milky white liquid, and when he added another ingredient, it diluted and transformed into a shimmering yellow.
Cassandra, watching him mix everything together, looked intrigued. "You knew this already, didn't you? So why did you send me out to waste my time finding it out?"
"Waste your time?" Killian replied, feigning shock as he held up a glass tube filled with a gleaming red liquid. "You didn't waste your time—you get this in exchange, don't you?"
Cassandra's excitement grew, her eyes wide and almost manic as she reached for the tube. But Killian pulled it back, making her pause in confusion. "So don't bitch about it, okay?" he said with a smirk.
"I won't, now give it to me..." Cassandra said, her eyes still wide with excitement as she snatched the glass tube. Hastily drawing the liquid into a syringe, she injected it into her veins. The substance traveled swiftly through her bloodstream, causing her veins to glow a vivid red, her heart pulsing with the same eerie light. A satisfied expression spread across her face.
"Haaaaa," she exhaled with a contented smile as her expression settled back to normal. "How much longer do I need to keep taking these?"
"Just for eight more weeks..." Killian replied with a smile, returning to his workbench cluttered with glass tubes and containers filled with various liquids, some containing plants and other mysterious substances.
"Well, I guess I'll be in your care for eight more weeks, then," Cassandra said as she turned to leave. "Unless you have anything else for me, I have some matters to attend to."
"Oh? What matters? Working overtime?" Killian asked, sounding surprised.
Cassandra shook her head as she began climbing the stairs out of the dimly lit room. "No, just going to treat Cassian—he made getting this information a lot easier for me..."
"What do you mean he helped you?" Killian asked, turning away from his worktable with a puzzled expression. "Did he know about that white-eyed man beforehand?"
"Yeah, he met him when he first arrived in the city," Cassandra replied, raising an eyebrow, surprised that Killian seemed so interested in someone she considered a weakling.
"Is that so? Did he mention where he came from?" Killian asked, a wide smile spreading across his face.
"Are you asking about Cassian or the suspect?" Cassandra asked, still puzzled as to why Killian would be interested in Cassian.
Killian shook his head, making her even more confused. "No, I'm asking about Cassian."
"Why do you want to know about him?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Why does it matter to you? If you tell me, I can speed up getting you that stuff—hell, I could even make you some right now if you answer a few questions about him," Killian replied, turning back to his worktable. Cassandra remained baffled, wondering why Killian was suddenly so interested in someone like Cassian, a weakling who hadn't even reached the first rank in any power system.
But her desire for the substance was too strong for her to care as she nodded and said, "Well, he came from the capital city of Andharta Kingdom, and he's an orphan."
"An orphan?" Killian replied with a surprised tone. "Then how did he manage to come all this way, being an orphan?"
"He said a friend helped him get here, and that same friend helped him land his job in law enforcement," Cassandra explained. With a smirk, she added, "I believe this so-called friend holds a pretty high position in the city's ministry."
Killian pondered over this for a moment before saying, "Well, if you can uncover the identity of that friend, I'll throw in some extra potion to keep that... condition of yours at bay for a bit longer."
"Really? How much longer?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement.
"About a couple of years..." Killian replied after a moment of thought, making Cassandra's smile widen. "Well, I'll find out about that friend, even if I have to torture it out of him."
"You could do that..." Killian chuckled, but then he suddenly stopped and added, "Or better yet, don't do it yourself. I have a plan... but first, try to get the information the normal way if you can."
"I'll try," Cassandra said with an eager smile, practically buzzing with excitement. She left the dimly lit room, stepping into a dark alleyway. The air was cool, and shadows danced against the walls from the distant streetlights. At one end of the alley, two figures stood waiting, looking bored.
Cassian and Robert straightened up when they spotted her. Cassandra, still grinning widely, quickly composed herself, her smile shifting to a more casual expression as she approached them.
"Apologies, I kept you waiting so long," she said smoothly. "Sir Killian had a lot of questions." Her tone was light, but Cassian noticed a glimmer of something in her eyes—like she knew more than she was letting on.
Cassian nodded, glancing down the alley to ensure no one else was lurking nearby. "It's fine. Did you get what you needed?"
Cassandra just gave a small, knowing smile. "Let's just say, it was worth the time." She glanced at Robert, who was clearly struggling to hide his curiosity about what went on in that dark room.
"So, what are you treating us to?" Robert asked with a grin.
Cassandra raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Who's 'we'? Robert, you didn't help me at all. Cassian did, so he's the only one getting a treat."
Robert rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in mock annoyance. "Oh, come on! I was there, wasn't I? That counts for something."
Cassandra chuckled, shaking her head. "Sorry, Robert, but just standing around looking curious doesn't cut it. You'll have to earn your next freebie." She glanced at Cassian, a playful glint in her eyes. "Come on, Cassian. Let's get you that treat before he starts pouting any harder."