Page 12 of Beyond Fate

If Casimir hadn’t been lost in thought, he would have caught the unmistakable scent of vampire before now.

“Come to steal some fae blood?” Casimir raised an eyebrow. The male appeared young, no more than 120 years old, maybe a decade or two older than that, but considered an adult among their kind.

The vampire’s tongue slid over his bottom lip nervously as his gaze darted all over Casimir’s body, as if searching for the best way to take down a six-foot-seven-inch Méityah.

Casimir took a deep breath, allowing his muscles to relax as he focused on the vampire’s every move. Despite his thin frame, he was still a predator.

“As delicious as your blood smells, g-guess again.” He attempted to smile, but it was more of a timid grimace that revealed his sharp fangs.

As Casimir studied the guy, he was more than a little surprised the vampire displayed this much self-control. Vampires were notorious for being unable to resist the temptation of fae blood, especially younger ones like this male.

There was also a scar peeking out from under the collar of his shirt. Vampires usually healed when they consumed blood, causing any scarring to disappear.

Slowly tilting his head, Casimir grinned knowingly. “Ah, I see. You’re after a different kind of blood.”

The vampire’s strained, half-smile faded as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t get it.”

“Traitor’s blood,” Casimir clarified for the naive vampire.

The vampire’s amber eyes dulled as he nodded. “Yes, p-please. That one.”

There was no possible way this scrawny, timid vampire would be foolish enough to take on Casimir alone. Which meant help was nearby.

Without moving a muscle, Casimir scanned his surroundings with razor-sharp focus, searching for any hidden threats.

Whoever it was, they were masking their scent with expert skill. Even Casimir couldn’t detect them.

But he could feel their presence—someone was watching him closely, like a predator stalking its prey.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, his swords materialized in his grasp, summoned by his béskym mark. The weight of the blades felt as natural as his own hands.

The guardian’s attack came fast and fierce. The clash of metal on metal echoed through the forest, sparks igniting with each strike, illuminating the darkness around them.

Casimir had trained as a guardian since childhood, and few could match his elite skill, but Elouan was one of few who came remotely close.

And he wanted Casimir’s death for betraying their king.

“I knew sooner or later you would crawl out of whatever hole you’ve been hiding in, coward,” Elouan sneered, his blade coming dangerously close to Casimir’s throat.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Casimir used a nearby tree to launch himself into the air, flipping over Elouan’s head and slicing off a chunk of his long, black hair. Elouan let out an enraged scream and retaliated with deadly force.

Similar to the shadow elves, the length of a warrior’s hair represented their mastery in the art of war. But for the Méityah, like Casimir and Elouan, hair was also a symbol of prestige that surpassed the need to prove themselves through combat.

By slicing off a portion of Elouan’s hair, Casimir had just stripped him of all honor and respect among warriors.

The son of a bitch shouldn’t have come after him.

“Cywâtén!” Elouan snarled as he spun and tried to use momentum to thrust his sword toward Casimir’s chest.

“I am not the son of a whore!” Casimir hadn’t seen his family since he’d been torn away from them, but he remembered his mother’s caring nature. She had openly wept when the mark appeared on her son, and for that memory alone, Casimir would defend her honor vehemently.

He crashed his elbow into Elouan’s jaw when he saw the fae beginning to chant. “What’s wrong, can’t fight without resorting to magic, nyzant?”

“We are no longer brothers,” Elouan gritted out between bloody teeth from Casimir’s strike. “That bond was broken the day you betrayed our king.”

They circled each other, swords at the ready. “King Emrys betrayed us! He ordered the deaths of the entire council because he was nothing but a paranoid narcissist who went into a meltdown when they voted against that dumb fucking law he wanted to pass.”

“You were raised and trained to obey our king’s every command.”

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