Chapter 198: Delicate Distractions

"This is..." Cyrus’s voice trailed off as his eyes moved across the ancient symbols. "It’s genuine Draconic script, but not written by a dragon."

Kane frowned. "How can you tell?"

"The stroke patterns are undefined." Cyrus set the parchment down with unnecessary force. "Most likely a human—or a spirit—had transcribed it from an older source."

"Okay, what does it say?"

Cyrus’s fingers hovered over the text, his expression darkening.

"It describes the Eternal God Crystal. The forging process, the..." He stopped abruptly, folding the parchment closed.

"The what?"

"Nothing."

Kane reached across the table.

"Cyrus, this could be connected to Elias’s research. To whatever he’s planning with those shards."

"I said it’s nothing." Cyrus tucked the parchment into his jacket pocket. Every word on that parchment clawed at centuries he’d spent trying to forget.

The server returned with their wine, breaking the tension momentarily as Cyrus went through the tasting ritual.

Kane waited until they were alone again before trying a different approach.

"The text mentioned the crystal specifically?"

"Yes." Cyrus’s jaw tightened. "But we shouldn’t discuss this."

"Why not?"

"Kane, you’re a BSA agent. You should understand better than anyone why certain topics remain classified."

Kane’s fox ears would have flattened if they were visible. "What are you talking about?"

Cyrus swirled his wine, the burgundy liquid catching the candlelight.

"Everything that transpired before the Night of Falling Stars was officially erased from spirit history. By unanimous agreement."

"Erased?"

"To maintain peace between the surviving factions." Cyrus’s voice carried the weight of ancient authority.

"The records were sealed, the witnesses bound to silence. Speaking of these matters violates accords signed in blood."

Kane leaned forward. "But if Elias is using information about it—"

The server appeared with their antipasto platter, interrupting Kane mid-sentence.

"Burrata with prosciutto," the young man announced, arranging delicate portions on their plates. "And the chef’s special bruschetta."

Cyrus thanked him with a polite nod, waiting until they were alone again before selecting a piece of the creamy cheese with his fork.

"Try this." He leaned across the table, offering Kane the bite.

Kane opened his mouth to continue his question, but Cyrus slipped the fork between his lips instead.

"It’s good, right?" Cyrus’s tone was lighter now, deliberately casual. "The basil oil is exceptional."

Kane chewed slowly, recognizing the deflection but savoring the rich flavors despite his frustration.

"Cyrus—"

"Here." Another forkful appeared, this time bruschetta topped with diced tomatoes. "The bread is perfect tonight."

Kane caught Cyrus’s wrist gently. "You can’t distract me with food all evening."

"Can’t I?" Cyrus’s lips curved into the faintest smile. "You seem quite distracted."

The warmth in Cyrus’s red-gold eyes made Kane’s pulse quicken, even as irritation simmered beneath his skin.

"We need to talk about this."

"We need to eat dinner first."

Kane recognized that expression—the one that meant Cyrus had already made up his mind and wouldn’t budge until he was ready. Arguing now would only make him more stubborn.

"Fine," Kane said, leaning back in his chair. "But we’re definitely talking about this after dinner."

Cyrus’s shoulders relaxed fractionally. "We’ll see."

The server returned with their wine, followed shortly by the primi piatti.

Kane’s eyes widened as a plate of hand-rolled pappardelle arrived, the pasta ribbons glistening under a generous shaving of black truffle.

"Oh wow," Kane breathed, inhaling the earthy aroma. "This smells incredible."

Cyrus immediately captured a perfect forkful, twirling the pasta before extending it toward Kane.

"Here, try this first bite."

Kane opened his mouth to protest. "I can feed myself—"

The fork slipped between his lips before he could finish the sentence. The truffle’s rich, nutty flavor exploded across his tongue, followed by the silky texture of fresh pasta and a hint of parmesan.

Kane’s eyes fluttered closed. "Holy shit."

"Language," Cyrus murmured, but his tone held affection rather than reproach.

When Kane opened his eyes, Cyrus was taking his bite, chewing thoughtfully.

"It’s adequate," Cyrus said after swallowing. "Though I find truffle dishes generally overrated."

Kane stared at him in horror. "Overrated? This is perfection on a plate!"

He took another forkful, savoring every strand of pasta. The truffle’s complexity deepened with each bite, earthy and slightly sweet, perfectly balanced by the creamy sauce.

"I could eat this every day for the rest of my life," Kane declared, already reaching for another bite.

The server returned with the secondo piatto, placing down plates of osso buco that made Kane’s mouth water. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The braised veal shanks glistened with rich marrow, nestled beside creamy risotto alla milanese that glowed golden with saffron.

"I can already tell this is delicious," Kane breathed, cutting into the tender meat.

The veal melted on his tongue, collapsing under the gentlest pressure from his fork, the sauce deep and complex with wine and herbs. Kane made an appreciative sound that bordered on indecent.

"Good?" Cyrus asked, amused by Kane’s obvious pleasure.

"Beyond good." Kane savored another bite before trying the risotto.

The creamy rice was perfectly al dente, each grain distinct yet bound together with parmesan and butter.

The contorno arrived next—roasted vegetables drizzled with balsamic reduction and fresh herbs.

Kane immediately speared a piece of caramelized fennel, his eyes closing in bliss.

Cyrus watched Kane’s enthusiastic appreciation with growing fondness. The fox’s genuine delight in simple pleasures never failed to charm him.

"Perhaps," Cyrus said carefully, "a trip to Italy should be on your bucket list."

Kane paused mid-chew, considering. If restaurant food was this incredible, he could only imagine what authentic Italian cuisine would taste like in its homeland.

"That’s definitely something to consider," Kane agreed, already picturing them wandering through Roman markets together.

Finally, the tiramisu arrived—a perfect square dusted with cocoa powder, its layers visible through the glass serving dish.

Kane’s fork sank through the delicate mascarpone, revealing coffee-soaked ladyfingers beneath.

"Oh my god," Kane breathed after the first bite, the rich cream melting on his tongue while espresso notes lingered. "This is actual heaven."

He gathered another perfect forkful, this time extending it toward Cyrus. "You have to try this."

Cyrus leaned forward, allowing Kane to feed him the dessert.

His eyes widened slightly at the complex flavors—bitter coffee balanced by sweet cream and a hint of marsala.

"It’s... exceptional," Cyrus admitted, his usual restraint softening.

Kane beamed, alternating bites between them until the plate was empty. As they finished their wine, Kane’s contentment warred with renewed determination.

The parchment still burned in Cyrus’s jacket pocket, and Kane needed answers about the Eternal God Crystal before Elias could use whatever information he’d gathered.