The next morning, Cassian and Lumine made their way back to the castle. Today, they were scheduled to be assigned to assist Karmen's forces wherever needed.
Lumine was still sore from the night before, but Cassian's hands worked out the tension with a slow, thorough massage that left her more relaxed and, by the time they arrived, almost back to her usual energetic self.
They stood in neat lines on the castle's training grounds, waiting for the Earl to arrive and deliver his speech of appreciation to the Magisteria for sending reinforcements.
Of course, everyone knew it was all just for show. Even the greenest recruits could tell the Earl hated having soldiers under his command who didn't answer directly to him. His bruised ego at being forced to accept help was an unspoken topic hanging over the entire gathering.
