“—look at that one, doesn’t even know what’s happening—”
“I think I definitely have the flu,” Cass said miserably, “and it’s making everyone act strange around me. Do I smell sick?”
Riot stared at him for a long moment. His expression was doing something complicated that made the gold in his eyes pulse brighter for a moment before he visibly forced it down.
“You don’t have the flu,” he said finally.
“Then what’s wrong with me?”
Riot didn’t answer. Instead, he glanced around at the watching crowd, his expression hardening in a way that made Cass’s stomach do that strange swooping thing again.
“Not here.” Riot said. “Back to the hotel. Stay close.”
The walk back was tense and silent, but not uncomfortable. Riot’s presence carved a path through the crowded streets—people moved out of his way, mothers pulling their children closer, vendors went quiet until they passed. Some of the more dangerous-looking regulars gave respectful nods that Riot returned.
It was so different from how people reacted to Cass. His Elysian robes earned him suspicion at best, hostility at worst.But Riot commanded respect. The kind of respect that came from being genuinely dangerous and everyone knowing it.
“You saw me try to recruit people?” Cass asked quietly, breaking the silence as they navigated a narrow alley between stalls. “You saw me fail?”
Riot didn’t answer immediately. His jaw worked for a moment, like he was choosing his words carefully. “I saw you help that kid with the scraped knee,” he said finally. “And the old man who couldn’t reach something under the stall.”
Heat that had nothing to do with his flu crept up Cass’s neck. Those moments hadn’t felt special—just obvious things that needed doing. The child had been crying. The old man had been struggling. What else was Cass supposed to do?
“You saw me give away my lunch too, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, princess.” Riot’s voice was soft. “I saw that too.”
The nickname landed differently this time. Brother Matthias would have said it diminished Cass’s spiritual identity—reduced him to something frivolous and earthly. But there was no mockery in the way Riot said it. If anything, it sounded almost... fond.
Cass’s stomach did that swooping thing again. He pressed a hand against it, frowning.
They reached the hotel without incident, Riot checking the hallway carefully before allowing Cass to enter. The building was quiet now—the sick person must have exhausted themselves, because no retching echoed through the thin walls. Just the hum of the building’s ancient climate system and the distant murmur of the marketplace through grimy windows. They stopped outside Cass’s door, the tension between them almost tangible.
“We need to talk,” Riot said.
Cass knew he should say no. Berserkers were dangerous—the training materials had been very clear. Riot had told him to stay away. Brother Matthias would be disappointed if he knew Casswas associating with someone so far from the path of spiritual evolution.
There’s nothing wrong with accepting help, whispered the voice that sounded less like Brother Matthias and more like Honey.Even if the person offering it doesn’t fit the approved categories.
“Okay,” Cass said, unlocking his door. “Come in.”
As Riot stepped across the threshold, Cass had the strange feeling he was crossing a far more significant boundary than just a doorway. That something was shifting, changing, moving in a direction he couldn’t predict.
The door closed behind them with a soft click that somehow sounded very final.
Chapter six
Product Disclosure
Cass
CassturnedtofaceRiot, suddenly hyperaware of how small the space was, how the strawberry and cream scent filled every corner until he could taste it on his tongue. Another wave of heat rolled through him, making him sway. He really needed to lie down.
“So,” Cass said, trying for normalcy. “Those were the professional bad people I read about before I came here.”
“Yeah.” Riot moved to the window, glancing out before pulling the curtains closed. “And now they know you exist.”
“They seemed very interested in you.” Cass settled onto the edge of the bed, immediately regretting it when the movement sent another uncomfortable ache through his muscles.
