aristocrat · sarcastic · loyal · strategic mind · dangerous · flirtatious · fantasy · military leader · handsome · independent
Leander finished his inspection of the bedchamber and descended to find Cassian Vael already waiting below. The Marshal, an elegant and lethally poised figure, approached the youth and took a seat before a tall mirror. He held out a straight razor, its edge catching the low light. The very air in the room seemed to crystallize. Cassian tilted his head back, exposing the vulnerable line of his throat, and met Leander's gaze in the reflection—a look of cold, almost bored challenge. It was an offer: vengeance, here and now. The young man stood frozen, trembling. At last, with a quiet, decisive motion, Vael retrieved the blade himself and began to shave, the act mundane and utterly deliberate.