14. Cassius

14

CASSIUS

I stare at the tablet, its symbols pulsing with an otherworldly glow. Faye leans in close, her scent filling my nostrils. It's distracting, but I force myself to focus on the task at hand.

"Any idea what these squiggles mean?" Faye asks, tracing a finger along the edge of the stone.

I smirk. "Give me a minute. It's not exactly light reading."

As I study the symbols, something clicks in my mind. The characters start to make sense, as if I've known this language all along. It must be a side effect of the binding magic—our newfound connection allowing me to tap into ancient knowledge. I decide to keep that tidbit to myself for now.

"Well?" Faye prods, impatience clear in her voice.

"Patience is a virtue, you know," I tease, earning an eye roll from her.

"Says the immortal to the human. Some of us don't have eternity to wait around."

I chuckle, surprised by how easily she's getting under my skin. "Fair point. It seems to be… a location."

Faye's eyes widen. "Well, that could be valuable intel for your mission."

"Our mission," I correct her. "You're in this now, sweetheart."

Faye leans in closer, her shoulder brushing against mine. "And how exactly are you reading all this? I thought you said you couldn't decipher it before."

I hesitate, weighing how much to reveal. "Let's just say our little session earlier might have opened up some new abilities."

She raises an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate on that, pretty boy?"

"Not particularly," I reply with a smirk. "A vrakken's got to keep some secrets, doesn't he?"

Faye snorts. "Fine, keep your mysteries. As long as it helps us figure this out, I don't care where the knowledge comes from." Her eyes cut to me. "For now."

I nod, returning my attention to the tablet. As we continue to decipher its contents, I can't help but marvel at how quickly Faye and I have fallen into an easy rapport. It's been centuries since I've felt this comfortable around anyone.

"You can't understand any of it?" I ask after a moment, thinking over my earlier assessment.

She shakes her head. "Nothing."

Probably because she doesn't have any magic…

I look at Faye, sensing her frustration at not being able to read the tablet. An idea forms in my mind, but I'm not sure how she'll react.

"I think I know a way to help you understand it," I say, reaching for her wrist.

Faye's eyes narrow. "What are you doing?"

"Trust me," I murmur, bringing her wrist to my mouth. "This might sting a bit."

Before she can protest, I sink my fangs into her soft skin. The taste of her blood floods my senses, and I have to fight to maintain control. I focus on giving her just enough venom to share a little magic without overwhelming her.

Faye gasps, her body tensing. I pull away, licking the wound closed.

"What..what did you do that for?" she demands, but her voice lacks its usual bite.

I smirk. "I wanted to see if my venom would give you a little magic, help you read it. How do you feel?"

She blinks rapidly, her gaze drawn back to the tablet. "I... I can read it. Well, sort of. It's still fuzzy, but I can make out some of it."

"See? Told you to trust me," I tease, earning a playful glare from her.

"Don't get cocky. Your bite's not that impressive."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh really? Your moans earlier say otherwise."

Faye's cheeks flush, and she quickly changes the subject. "Look, it's talking about some kind of gate."

I lean in closer, our shoulders brushing. "An underwater gate, protected by powerful magic."

"Sounds like a party," Faye quips, but I can hear the slight tremor in her voice.

"Scared of a little swim, sweetheart?"

She scoffs. "Please. I'm more worried about you ruining that perfect hair of yours."

I chuckle, running a hand through my long locks. "I'll manage. Besides, I'm sure you'll protect me from any sea monsters we encounter."

Faye rolls her eyes, but I catch the hint of a smile on her lips. "In your dreams, vrakken."

As we continue deciphering the tablet's contents, I can't help but notice how Faye leans into me, her warmth seeping through my clothes. The lingering effects of my venom and her blood have us both on edge, the air crackling with unspoken tension.

I was careful. I didn't want to cloud her brain — especially with the lust I can see in her eyes every time she looks at me already there — but it seems even the smallest amount is enough to pull that to the surface.

I force myself to focus on the task at hand, pushing aside the distracting warmth of Faye's body next to mine. The tablet's message is clear: we need to find this underwater gate. But getting there won't be easy.

"Alright, my little tour guide," I say, turning to face Faye. "You said there's no beaches near here. So how far away is this gate?"

She leans over, studying the intricate description of how to find the gate. "I think it wants us to go northeast, toward the mountain range. We're on an island so there are beaches, but they are all days' away." She looks up at me. "I'd guess about four days of traveling will get us there, and I'm willing to bet the tablet's magic will only intensify as we get closer — acting as a guide."

I nod, impressed by her knowledge. "Okay. We'll need to move carefully. I can use my sun glamour during the day, but it steals some of my magic. To save it, and hide us better, we'll travel mostly at night, using the cover of darkness."

"And how do you plan on breathing underwater?" Faye asks, raising an eyebrow.

I smirk. "Vrakken have a few tricks up our sleeves. I can cast a spell that'll let us breathe underwater for a limited time. It's not perfect, but it should be enough to get us in and out."

Faye considers this for a moment. "Okay, but what about the 'powerful magic' protecting the gate? I'm not exactly keen on fighting another thlii or whatever nasty surprise is waiting for us down there."

"That's where things get interesting," I reply, tapping the tablet. "The protection spells are ancient vrakken magic. I should be able to disable them, or at least find a way around them."

I hope. But I don't say that out loud. I was able to dismantle the wards to get the tablet in the first place so I just have to hope it will answer me again.

"Should be able to?" Faye repeats, skepticism clear in her voice.

I shrug. "Nothing's certain in this world, sweetheart. But I'm your best shot at getting through those barriers alive."

Faye sighs, but nods. "Fair enough. So, what's our first move?"

"We need supplies," I explain. "Food for you, weapons for both of us. We should split up and hunt while it's daylight. I have my sword and you have your arrows, which will have to do. We can stock up, try to rest up through the afternoon, and then head out under the cover of night."

"And once we reach the gate?" Faye presses.

I lean in closer, my voice low. "We find whatever's hidden there and use it to our advantage. This could be the key to turning the tide against the dark elves."

Faye's eyes meet mine, a mix of determination and something else I can't quite place shining in them. "Alright, pretty boy. Let's do this."