And of the wound he had received from the nethral.
I pointed at the partially healed gash. “That looks angry.”
He brushed his fingers over the wound and winced. “It could use some clean water.”
“Then that first, then bed,” I insisted as I hopped off the bed and caught sight of a wash basin with a pitcher. “Sit down in front of the fire, and I’ll deal with it. Then we can get to bed.”
Chapter 22
Cassian did as I bade, and I poured some water and wrung a washcloth before moving over to him. The soft glow of the fire bathed us in its gentle heat as I sat behind him on the floor and dabbed at the ragged edges of the wound. The fringes reminded me of his scales, which brought a question to the forefront of my mind.
I leaned to one side to catch his attention. “How come you didn’t use your scales to protect yourself?”
Cassian’s lips were somewhat pursed, and I noticed a slight tick in his cheek with each gentle dab. “The nethral have the ability to pierce all magic, even my scales.”
I wrinkled my nose. “What exactly are they? These nethral things.”
He turned his head far enough so one keen eye fell on me. “You truly don’t know what they are.” It was a statement rather than a question, but I answered it anyway.
“Not a clue.”
“Then all those in the four kingdoms envy you,” he mused as he stared ahead at the fire. “The nethral cam into the world due to our hubris. They were crafted by powerful magic thousands of years ago. Some say it was for a great war, the scars of which can still be seen across some of the kingdoms. We’ll pass by one of the more famous ones after we reach the inn.”
“So how come they’re still around?” I wondered. “I mean, you can kill them, so why hasn’t everyone got together and just wiped them out?”
“They return, and often not in the same place.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Every time?”
“Every time.”
“Even when you destroy those pit things?”
“Yes. New pits grow elsewhere, or revive themselves.”
“That must be some tough magic.”
“The best magicians in all the kingdoms have yet to figure out how it was crafted.”
A thought struck me that made me wince. “Like Vhulkar?”
A pensive expression slipped onto Cassian’s face as he gazed into the dancing flames. “Yes, those like him. He was a very talented man in his younger years. My father personally requested him to join the studies of the nethral. However, countless failures led him down darker paths.”
“Like using the nethral?”
“Yes. There is no use for such creatures aside from war, and the scars in the kingdoms are a heavy reminder that they shouldn’t be used at all.” He sat up and flexed his muscles. “I think that will do. There’s hardly any pain now.”
“You’re sure?” I asked him as he stood and faced me.
He held out the shirt to me. “Quite sure. Besides, you look tired, and we should both get some rest.”
I took the shirt and rose. “Thanks for the shirt, but this doesn’t mean I’ll let you watch.”
Cassian sighed and strolled past me. “Very well, my shy bride.”
I hurried into the shirt, and the cloth reached well below my knees. That meant I could discard my pants, as well, without fear of showing more than I wanted.
However, there was an issue with the locket. It still wouldn’t come off. I glared at the infernal thing.
