Chapter 6: Filthy Assassin
Selene stepped into the room, her boots scuffing against polished stone tiles.
It was an big chamber, its dark, iron-banded walls lit by flickering torches.
The faint scent of smoke and steel hung in the air. A large wooden table, flanked by high-backed chairs, dominated the center, and along the edges, rows of silent guards stood like statues.
Ten of them, at least. Each armed to the teeth.
The door shut behind her with a heavy clang, the sound reverberating through the tense silence.
"Keep moving," Cassian's voice cut through the air, cold and commanding.
She turned, her chains rattling as she smirked at the towering captain standing near the far wall. "Charming as ever, Captain Thorne. Is this your idea of hospitality?"
"Hospitality?" Cassian's brow twitched, though his expression remained stone-like. "This isn't a royal feast, assassin. Move."
Two guards flanked her, unlocking the chains from her wrists and ankles. The iron cuffs hit the floor with a resounding clatter, but the relief was short-lived.
"Don't get comfortable," Cassian said sharply. "Those stay on."
He nodded toward the metal bracelets still encircling her wrists. Selene lifted one arm, studying the sleek design. The faintest shimmer of runes pulsed across the surface, and even as she moved, she felt the sharp prick of spikes grazing her skin.
"How thoughtful," she drawled, turning her wrist to inspect the faint line of blood forming. "A little bracelet to remind me of your undying affection?"
Cassian's jaw tightened. "If you step out of line, those will do more than prick you."
Selene tilted her head, her smirk widening. "Oh, Cassian, I didn't know you cared."
The guards shifted uneasily, exchanging glances, but Cassian ignored them. His eyes narrowed as he stepped closer, towering over her.
"Let's make one thing clear," he said, his voice low and lethal. "You're here because the prince thinks you're useful. That's it. Don't mistake this for anything else."
"Useful, hmm?" Selene tapped a finger against her lips. "And here I thought I was here because you missed me."
A muscle in his jaw ticked, and for a moment, Selene thought she'd finally cracked his unshakable composure. But instead of snapping, Cassian leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"You're not special, Draven. Just another pawn in the game. Try to escape, and those bracelets will take care of you before I have to. Those hands of yours would be ripped off."
Selene leaned back against the table, crossing her arms as casually as the spiked bracelets allowed. "You really should work on your compliments, Captain. A girl could swoon."
Cassian's glare could have frozen a roaring fire, but before he could respond, one of the guards spoke up. "Captain, should we leave her unattended?"
"No," Cassian snapped, his eyes never leaving Selene. "She stays under watch until the prince returns."
Selene's smirk faltered for a moment at the mention of Kade, but she masked it quickly. "Let me guess," she said, brushing imaginary dust off her tattered sleeve. "Your precious prince is off currying favor with Daddy dearest?"
Cassian crossed his arms, his gaze piercing. "The prince is handling matters far above your concern."
"Ah, I see," Selene said, pushing off the table and pacing the room. "He left you to babysit. Bet you just love that."
The guards stiffened as she moved closer to them, but Selene's steps were slow, deliberate. She stopped in front of one, her golden eyes locking onto his.
"What about you?" she asked, her voice soft but cutting. "Do you like babysitting dangerous little assassins?"
The guard didn't respond, but his hand tightened on his sword hilt.
"Enough," Cassian barked.
Selene turned back to him, her grin sharp as a blade. "Oh, relax, Captain. I'm just making conversation. It's so dreadfully quiet in here."
"Then be quiet," Cassian shot back, his tone clipped. "Or do I need to remind you what happens when you push too far?"
Selene raised her hands in mock surrender, the movement causing the bracelets to shift and sting. She barely flinched. "Fine. But you might want to work on your people skills, Captain. You're dreadfully dull company."
Cassian didn't respond, but the way his hand twitched near his sword hilt told Selene she'd struck a nerve.
Selene sat back against the table, crossing one leg over the other as if she didn't have a care in the world. "So, how long do we have to wait? Or am I just supposed to sit here while you glower at me all night?"
"As long as it takes," Cassian replied, his voice cold as the steel at his side.
Selene's smirk returned, faint but deliberate. "Oh, good. How wonderful."
She bit her bottom lip in mock thought, her golden eyes gleaming with boredom. The guards exchanged awkward glances, shifting uncomfortably in the silence that followed.
A soft knock at the door broke the tension. The maid stepped inside, her hands clasped and head bowed. "My lady," she said, it shocked Selene, no one had ever called her a lady, the maid's voice was steady but polite, "you're to come with me. The king expects you cleaned and presentable."
Selene raised an eyebrow, slowly uncrossing her legs as she stood. "Well, isn't that lovely? A royal invitation."
"Move," Cassian ordered, his tone clipped.
Selene took her time following the maid, her steps measured and unhurried as though she were enjoying the sound of his simmering frustration.
Cassian's heavy footsteps followed her, his presence looming at her back like a storm cloud.
---
The bathing room was unlike anything Selene had seen in years. Steam curled from the surface of a massive marble bath, its edges lined with silver fixtures that gleamed in the warm light of the lanterns.
The faint scent of lavender hung in the air, and the polished floors reflected every flicker of flame.
The maid gestured toward the bath. "Please, my lady. I'll fetch fresh clothes for you."
Selene hesitated, glancing over her shoulder to find Cassian leaning casually against the doorframe. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable, but his eyes tracked her every movement.
Her lips curved into a faint smirk. "Not leaving, Captain?"
Cassian's gaze didn't waver. "Someone has to make sure you don't try anything."
"Try what?" she asked, shrugging off her tattered tunic. The garment fell to the floor, revealing skin marred by scars—slashes across her back, faint burns along her arms, and a lattice of old wounds.
She turned to face him, her chin lifted, as though daring him to look. "What exactly do you think I'll do? Slip through the drain?"
Cassian's expression didn't change. "You'd find a way if you could."
Selene laughed softly, the sound hollow in the echoing room. "Always so serious, Captain. You make everything sound like a battle."
"Isn't it?" he countered.
Her smile tightened, but she didn't drop her gaze. She reached for the waistband of her pants, peeling them off slowly, deliberately.
It dropped to the ground until she was as the way she was born.
Naked.
"You could at least have the decency to pretend you're not staring."
"I'm not," Cassian replied evenly, though his eyes flicked briefly to her scars before returning to her face. "And even if I were, it wouldn't be for the reasons you think."
Selene tilted her head, her voice low. "Oh? Enlighten me."
"You're filthy," he said bluntly, his tone colder than the bathwater she was about to step into. "Scarred. Dangerous. Whatever charm you think you have means nothing to me."
She froze for a heartbeat, the words slicing deeper than she'd anticipated. She masked it quickly, brushing it off with a mocking laugh. "How poetic, Captain. Are insults part of your job description?"
"No," Cassian said, his voice like iron. "But seeing you for what you are? That's my job."
Selene turned away, hiding the flicker of shame that crossed her face. She stepped into the bath, sinking into the water as it lapped against her skin. The warmth was soothing, almost enough to dull the sting of his words.
"Is that what you tell yourself at night?" she asked softly, keeping her tone casual. "That people like me aren't worth seeing?"
"People like you make it easy," he replied without hesitation. "You've spent your life lying, killing, and betraying. Don't act offended because someone doesn't trust you."
She exhaled sharply, leaning her head back against the bath's edge. "And here I thought you might surprise me with a shred of humanity."
"Humanity isn't a luxury I extend to assassins," he said, turning toward the door. "Be ready in ten minutes."
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Selene alone in the warm, perfumed silence. Her smirk faded entirely, replaced by the faintest frown as she ran her fingers along one of the scars on her arm.
Her voice was barely above a whisper. "And here I thought you might surprise me, too."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone