Page 73 of Mantle

“Jeez,” Nyx choked.

At least Cassius wasn’t clad in his highly conspicuous Celestial battle garb this time.

Although, in those gold leather pants paired with a white linen shirt that barely stretched across all that powerhouse muscle, he still did draw attention—but at least for completely different reasons. Fortunately, he was just in my dorm room right now and not roaming the Academy halls.

Cassius frowned as he took in the sight of me in my pajamas, and likely the fact that I’d summoned him into my dorm room, rather than to an appropriate training location.

His gaze darted to Nyx who was just wearing Vorzyr’s shirt and nothing else.

“What is the meaning of this?” he asked, with more of a confused edge than any sort of reprimand. “I assumed when you called that you had now completed all the Tier Two Practicalities, and you were ready to tackle the Tier One elements together.”

“Iamactually through all of them, most of the lore and Laws, and I’ve reviewed the first couple of Tier One Practicalities so I’m prepared when we move to perform them.”

He frowned. “Yet you don’t seem prepared to do that this day. You are in your pajamas. In your bedroom.” He looked at my bed and the rumpled sheets. “And having just finished up a romp with your lovers?”

“That was hours ago,” was all I managed, caught off guard with him bringing that up.

He gestured at Nyx, his horns pulsing. “It would seem he is prepared for more.”

“Nah, just seeing her standing there in her sexy pajamas and facing off with you is turning me on. Can’t be helped,” Nyx told him.

“I’m not going to be summoned here then made to wait while you service one another,” Cassius retorted.

“You’re worked up,” I accused. “You wouldn’t normally comment on something like this.”

“It’s Velra,” Nyx stated.

Cassius eyed him. “You can’t read me, Incubus.”

“I’m using logic.”

“I see.” He thought for a moment. “Well, I suppose I am having trouble reconciling the impact of the Soul Brand. I am only able to entertain it and try to determine what it all means in the moments I am away from the intense magical research with Mia and Jaxon into breaking the Celestial link, so it appears that that concern flared as you called me away from said heavy task.” He shifted his weight. “My apologies.”

“That’s an honest slipup and just a normal emotional reaction. In fact, I actually like it because it further proves that you’re not a soulless automaton like the rest of your kind.” Off his look, I added, “Fine. Our kind.” I folded my arms across my chest. “What isn’t an honest slipup is you teaching me that Celestial magic that was supposed to merely have the intent of creating a power cyclone to both shield myself and repel any incoming threats.”

“Yes.Corsecus.”

“I employed it during a training exercise here and it did a lot more than that.”

“It would, yes, especially if you employed it against a known threat.”

“I know. I discovered that it had a dual purpose. Not just to defend, but to torment and destroylesser supernatural beingsby essentially unraveling them—flesh, bone, life force. That’swhat happened during the training exercise. But through me researching deeper into Celestial lore, Laws, and limitations, it became clear whyyouwanted me to learn it, the true purpose behind it. It wasn’t protection. Because that spell can unravel Celestial life.”

“Yes. It most definitely can. It is ancient and a rarity, the knowledge sacrosanct also.” He slid his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “Our goal is to break the link between the mortal world and the Celestial Plane. The True Celestials will not go quietly. They will fight with everything at their disposal to prevent this from happening. And as soon as we get further along in the process and actually start making headway, they will sense it—such a formidable threat. And they will come for us.Ican’t take them all. You will be needed. To defeat a True Celestial, blows from your magic will not be enough. It takes a great deal—Corsecusis one such viable method of annihilation.”

“You’re talking about a massacre.” I shuddered as I uttered the words.

“Nothing they won’t do to us if we don’t respond in due time, if we are not ready, Ariana. Breaking the link… it means war. We must act accordingly.”

“Damn,” Nyx choked, scrubbing his hand over his face, mirroring my own distress.

A heavy silence fell for several moments.

And then Cassius returned to business, asking me, “Why did you summon me, Ariana?”

I leaned against my desk and settled in, telling him, “Ketheron reached out to me for help via a dream I just woke up from.”

He tensed. “He invaded your mind… through your forced ingestion of his blood. It left some resonance, despite Vorzyr extracting it from your system. It must have bound right away with you.” He screwed up his face. “That was a violation. It isalso insulting to have a manufactured Celestial being accessing a pure Celestial being’s mind.” He looked distraught and pissed for me all at the same time. “I am sorry this has befallen you. There may be a way for me to dispel it so that it can never occur again.”

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