Cassian dodged the question with a quick excuse, brushing it off before things could go any further, and hurried them along.

Not long after, they found themselves at the market near the docks.

It was packed with stalls lined with all kinds of fish—fresh, glistening, laid out in colorful rows. But surprisingly, there was no overwhelming smell. Magic formations set around the booths kept everything contained—no stink, no flies, no insects.

Clean.

Orderly.

Almost too clean for a place like this.

"The fish here are so cheap..." Lucy said, eyes lighting up as she looked over the variety at one of the stalls.

The shopkeeper, overhearing her, smiled and nodded.

"You folks look like you’re from the mainland," he said. "That’s why it seems cheap to you..."

Lucy nodded, and the shopkeeper went on, "Well, we get the fish straight from the sea—just a mile or two down that way—so it’s cheap. Sending it inland while keeping it fresh costs a lot more..."

Cassian nodded; that made sense. Then he glanced at Lucy.

"So... you cook, Miss Lucy?" he asked.

"Yeah—I don’t just cook..." Lucy said, her smile widening a little. "I cook so well you’ll want to lick your fingers clean."

She pointed at a long fish—almost the length of her arm. "Give me two of those."

That caught both Cassian and Ravees a bit off guard.

"To be assigned as my lady’s maid," Lucy added proudly, "I had to be that good at cooking."

As Lucy started picking out more food and ingredients, she casually mentioned she’d be making dinner tonight.

In the end, only Lumine had managed to join them. The rest of Cassian’s friends were either busy, out, or hadn’t responded through the message relay board when he tried reaching them.

"Well, Madam Ravees..." Lumine spoke up, her tone curious, "were you trained in the Ven Dyke Duchy’s army, or were you independent before that?"

There was a clear interest behind her question. Like many fields, there were far fewer female Circle Warriors—and Lumine clearly wanted to close that gap by becoming one herself.

Ravees answered without hesitation. "My parents worked as gardeners in one of the Ven Dyke mansions... so I joined the army from there."

Her expression softened slightly, a rare smile appearing as she added, "That’s where I met my husband—Mitchel. He’s a mage in the army as well." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

As her eyes drifted toward Cassian—who was helping Lucy carry the things they had bought—her smile faded slightly, something uneasy flickering across her face.

But she didn’t let it show for long.

Turning back to Lumine, she asked, "Cassian mentioned your sister... she’s a Sixth Circle Warrior too?"

Lumine’s expression lit up instantly, pride clear in her voice. "Yeah—she’s incredible. Recently got promoted too... she’s leading operations against some high-level cultists now."

Ravees’ eyes brightened at that.

For a moment.

Then it dimmed just as quickly.

"I wish I could be out there too..." she said, her tone quieter now. "It’s been too long since I’ve seen any real action..."

Cassian seemed to catch that last part.

"You could just ask my lady," he said casually. "I’m sure she wouldn’t mind letting you join in..."

Ravees’ expression hardened immediately.

"I can’t," she replied, her tone turning cold. "It’s my duty to protect her. I don’t get to run around chasing fights... even if I want to."

Cassian gave a small shrug. "Suit yourself..."

He moved ahead to pay, slipping another item Lucy had picked into his space ring.

And she had picked a lot.

Not just ingredients—there were ornaments, small pieces of jewelry, books, and other little trinkets mixed in. Cassian had no idea where she planned to keep all of it.

Lucy wasn’t the type to decorate her own space.

And Katherine... she had very particular tastes. Buying things for her wasn’t easy at all.

Soon enough, they were done.

The bags had been sorted, coins exchanged, and the little crowd around the stall shifted as they stepped away from it.

Ravees hadn’t bought much.

Just a single item.

A knife.

Well-made, balanced, the kind meant for real use—not display. But the sheath... that was different. Carved leather, detailed with fine patterns that almost felt too elegant for something so practical.

Cassian had offered to pay.

She refused.

Cold. Immediate.

"I can pay for myself."

No hesitation, no room to argue.

So he didn’t.

Lumine, on the other hand...

Cassian had picked something out for her.

A pair of traveling shoes—sturdy, well-crafted, made for long distances without sacrificing comfort. Not flashy, but good quality.

She accepted them.

Before long, with the sun still hanging in the sky but already starting to cast longer shadows, they made their way back to Lumine’s place.

Inside, Lucy got straight to work, setting things out and beginning preparations for dinner.

Halfway through, she let out a small sigh.

Turning to Cassian, she said, "You’ll have to step out for a bit... I forgot to buy olive oil. And I checked the cabinets—there’s barely anything here. Not even basic stuff..."

Lumine’s face flushed slightly at that.

"We usually just order in..." she admitted, a little embarrassed. "My sister isn’t much of a cook..."

Cassian let out a low chuckle.

"Well then," he said, glancing at her, "you’re coming with me. Call it punishment for not knowing how to cook."

Lumine let out a quiet huff but didn’t argue, grabbing a light wrap before following him out.

The evening air had cooled a little, the streets softer now as the rush of the day started to fade. The two walked side by side, footsteps echoing lightly against the stone as they moved away from the building.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Then Cassian glanced at her.

"So... Cassandra," he brought up casually. "How’s she been?"

Lumine’s expression shifted slightly at the mention of her sister.

"You know her always busy," she said with sigh. "More than usual. Ever since the promotion, she barely has time to rest... always dealing with something."

"Well... at least you got to see her before we head out for the next few months," Cassian said casually.

Meeting her sister had been one of the reasons they stayed an extra day.

Well... not the only reason.

He had his own reasons for wanting a little more time here before getting back on the road