Adrian's Request

Cassian leaned back against the edge of his desk, arms crossed as his sharp gaze settled on Adrian. "I'm quite a busy man, Duke Averin. What brings you here unannounced?"

Adrian stood with his usual composed demeanor, his expression unreadable as he met Cassian's piercing eyes. "Busy, are you?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "Interesting, considering you haven't responded to the crown princess' letter."

Lucian froze where he stood, his translucent form wavering slightly as his gaze snapped to Adrian. The mention of the crown princess felt like a knife twisting in his chest.

Cassian scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "Just because you're engaged to Elara doesn't mean you have to manage everything related to her. Let me remind you, Duke Averin, Elara is my cousin. I don't need lectures about how to handle my family."

Adrian's expression didn't waver, but his tone grew colder. "Family ties don't excuse negligence, Valenor. You're the heir to the Red House and the captain of the royal knights. When the royal family sends you a letter, it's your duty to prioritize it."

'He seems so...protective of her...'

Cassian's jaw tightened, and his fists clenched at his sides. He clearly wanted to snap back, but the reminder of Adrian's higher rank restrained him. Instead, his lips curled into a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Is that all you came here for? To remind me to open my mail?"

Adrian shook his head, his gaze darkening slightly. "No. I'm here because of Lucian Faelith."

The room seemed to freeze.

'Me?'

Lucian's eyes went wide, his shimmering form stepping closer to Adrian as if drawn by the mere mention of his name. His heart, already heavy with longing and confusion, thudded painfully in his chest.

Cassian, on the other hand, looked less impressed. He raised a brow, his voice laced with annoyance. "Lucian Faelith? What concerns could you possibly have with a dead man?"

For a fleeting moment, Adrian's composed mask cracked. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared Cassian down. "The way you speak of him is disrespectful," he said, his tone sharp and cutting. "I would've thought that, despite your differences, you'd show a shred of compassion."

Cassian let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. "Compassion? For that brat? The Wasteling who bullied my cousin and half the female population of this kingdom?" He gestured vaguely toward the room, his words harsh and dismissive.

"Pardon?"

Lucian's head snapped toward Cassian, his translucent form shimmering with barely contained fury. His hands balled into fists at his sides, and the small shred of respect he'd gained for Cassian earlier crumbled to dust.

"How dare you," Lucian hissed, though his voice was only a whisper to himself. His eyes burned with a mix of betrayal and indignation as he glared at Cassian.

Adrian's jaw tightened, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he held Cassian's gaze, his tone lowering to something almost dangerous. "Regardless of what you think of him, Lucian was still a person—a Faelith. I'm here because there are… unanswered questions about his death. Questions that need addressing."

Cassian's brows furrowed, his annoyance shifting to something more guarded. "Unanswered questions?" he repeated, his tone skeptical. "Like what?"

Adrian didn't answer immediately. His gaze flicked to the side, as if weighing his next words carefully. Lucian, unable to hold back, moved closer, his ethereal form almost brushing against Adrian's shoulder as he stared at him with wide, searching eyes.

"What does he mean?" Lucian whispered, his voice trembling. "What unanswered questions?"

"I'm aware it was you who found this body, so I just had to ask..." Adrian's gaze remained steady, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Did Lucian truly kill himself?"

Cassian blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the question. "What kind of question is that? Of course, he did. I saw it myself—well, I arrived just after. A maid and I found him."

Adrian's brow furrowed. "Did you see him plunge the dagger into his stomach with your own eyes?"

Cassian hesitated, his arms uncrossing as his irritation gave way to confusion. "No, I didn't. But I heard the thud of his body hitting the ground. He was still alive when I arrived. Barely."

Lucian stood frozen, his translucent form wavering as a storm of emotions swirled within him. "What is he talking about?" he whispered to himself. "Didn't he receive my note? I made sure he did, so why is he saying this?"

Adrian's gaze didn't waver. "And yet you're so sure it was suicide," he said, his tone skeptical. "Lucian may have had his faults, but I don't believe he was capable of taking his own life. There's more to this than you realize."

Cassian let out a sharp laugh, his expression a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. "You want me to investigate? Is this a joke?"

Both Cassian and Lucian watched Adrian's expression, searching for a hint of humor, but his face remained solemn.

Cassian's amusement faded, replaced by a sharp, almost mocking seriousness. "So that's it, isn't it? The perfect Adrian Averin, the kingdom's golden boy, can't handle the idea that someone killed himself because of him. Is that what this is about? Protecting your precious image, especially now that you're set to become the crown prince?"

Adrian's jaw tightened, and for the first time, his composure cracked ever so slightly. "Why are you blaming me as if you suddenly care about Lucian?" he snapped, his tone colder now.

Cassian scoffed, leaning forward with a pointed glare. "Don't get it twisted. I don't care about Lucian Faelith. I'm just following your suggestion, Duke Averin. Showing some compassion, as you put it."

Adrian crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze unwavering. "If it wasn't murder, then why did his body disappear?"

Cassian froze, his sharp retort dying on his tongue. His brow furrowed, and for the first time, genuine uncertainty flickered in his eyes. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice quieter. "It doesn't make sense. But the Faelith family has already dispatched every resource they have to investigate. They're searching for him."

Lucian's translucent form flickered in the charged silence, his shimmering eyes narrowing as his emotions surged. He took a step closer to Cassian, his voice firm despite the turmoil within him.

"Cassian," he said, his tone carrying a mix of urgency and command. "Ask him why he's really doing this. It doesn't make sense. If he's just concerned, he wouldn't need you. He has the Magic Tower, for gods' sake. There's something else."

Cassian froze, his fiery glare softening for a brief moment as he tilted his head slightly, as though he had heard something. His glowing red eyes flicked to the space where Lucian stood, unblinking.

"What?" Cassian murmured under his breath, his tone barely audible. His fists clenched at his sides as he straightened, the tension in his posture shifting into something more focused. He turned his attention back to Adrian, his expression dark and unreadable.

"Why don't you tell me the real reason you're here?" Cassian asked, his voice low but carrying a dangerous edge. "You have the Magic Tower at your disposal, an entire army of resources. Why me?"

Adrian raised a brow, the faintest hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Interesting," he murmured. "Since when did you become so curious, Valenor?"

"Answer the question," Cassian snapped, his red eyes flashing. He glanced briefly to the side, his jaw tightening. "No more games."

Adrian chuckled softly, his composed demeanor unshaken. "Fine. I'll get straight to the point," he said, stepping forward with an air of calculated precision. "If Lucian really did commit suicide, as you claim, then yes—it's a problem. Not just for me, but for Elara. That's why I want you to investigate. Or, more precisely, make it seem like his death was murder."

Lucian froze, his translucent form flickering as his mind reeled. "What?" he whispered, his voice trembling. He stepped closer to Cassian, his shimmering hand reaching out instinctively. "How… how could he say this?"

Cassian's lip curled into a sneer, his laughter sharp and bitter. "Finally, the truth comes out," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The golden boy of the kingdom, willing to twist the narrative for his precious image. And why should I help you, Averin?"

Adrian's smirk faded, his expression hardening as he locked eyes with Cassian. "Don't talk to me about twisting narratives," Adrian said, his voice colder now. "Especially not coming from someone like you."

Cassian's fiery eyes narrowed, and a flicker of flame reignited in his palm. "Say that again," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. Frost began to creep along the edges of the room, the air crackling with tension as Cassian's magic surged in response to his fury.

Adrian remained calm, his gaze steady as light began to shimmer faintly around him. "You truly want to do this, Valenor?" he asked, his voice even but edged with warning. "I'm not above defending myself."

The tension between them was palpable, but Adrian continued, his tone unyielding. "Think about it. If the story goes public that Lucian killed himself and his body mysteriously disappeared, how long before the whispers start? How long before people begin to believe there's a conspiracy—one that ties me, or worse, Elara, to his death?"

Lucian's eyes widened as he listened, his translucent form trembling. "He's doing this… for Elara?" he murmured, his voice filled with disbelief. "But why? Why would he stoop to this?"

Adrian pressed on, his gaze unwavering. "I'm doing this for Elara," he said firmly. "And you know as well as I do that this is nothing compared to the things you've done for the royal family. Or has your loyalty finally run dry?"

'Who is this man...this...this isn't Adrian.'

"What about the Purple House? The Duke of Faelith?" Cassian asked, his voice sharp and cutting. His red eyes burned with intensity as he leaned forward slightly, the weight of his words heavy in the charged air.

"Do you really think they'll stand by while I lie about their son's death? Especially when he lost his life because of his disgusting love for you?"

Adrian ran a hand through his pale blond hair, his movements slow and deliberate. His expression was void of emotion, his usual mask of composure firmly in place. "Would they not find peace," he began, his voice steady and almost chillingly calm, "knowing their son died at another's hands, rather than his own?"

'What?'

Cassian let out a dry, humorless laugh, his disbelief evident. "Wow," he said, his lips curling into a sardonic smirk. "You're ruthless."

Adrian didn't react to the insult, his gaze remaining unwavering. "Ruthless or not, it's time we took control of the Purple House, don't you think?" he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "You and I both know the royal family has always been at the mercy of the Faelith family's wealth. This is our chance to finally gain their loyalty."

"Huh?" The exclamation slipped from both Cassian and Lucian simultaneously, though only Cassian's voice reached Adrian's ears.