Chapter 190: Don’t look at me like that
"How do we get out?" Vespertine pondered as he held Lady Ava in his arms, wonder and worry mixing emotions on his face. Cass raised his hand, wiping his forehead free of sweat as he looked around.
"You point out to me where you want to get out, and I’ll try to make a door." Cass said. He was panting, but that was only because he’d tried to keep up with three physically trained people. The members of their little rag tag group that could wield weapons like second nature. Lord Blackburn hadn’t been able to do that, and Cass before him was more of a physical fighter.
He used his fists. He was pretty sure if Lord Blackburn hit anyone, he’d get more hurt then the person he hit.
Fiona and Lord Ridgewood were staring at Lady Ava, who was slowly gaining herself again. Her eyes didn’t look like they were looking through you anymore, and she was gaining some of the strength back in her body.
"Y-You’re okay?" She asked, reaching out for Cass slowly, placing her hand on his wrist. Cass tried not to flinch. Right now, even her touch was making Cass feel ill, and Cass was trying not to think too hard about why he felt that way. Honestly, Cass thought that it was pretty admirable that Lady Ava was asking after him.
If it wasn’t just to get sympathy out of the others.
"I’m fine. I made my defensive line smaller than yours, and I have a larger pool to pull from." Cass told her. He might have been too curt, but Lady Ava didn’t seem to mind. She just nodded.
"Okay. Let me know if you need a break. I can tag in again." She mumbled and Cass didn’t believe her. Lord Ridgewood was giving Cass a look as if he was actually going to ask Lady Ava to tag back in when she was like this. Fiona was just frowning.
"Are we going to go deal with all these undead now?" Lucian called from where he was, stabbing, no, playing with an undead that Cass had speared. "We should so that we can check out what she fought so hard to keep." It was clear that everyone agreed with Lucian, but that they were hesitant to do so. Leaving Lady Ava while she was in this state felt wrong. Cass could see it in the way that everyone else was hesitating.
He sighed, but didn’t comment on it. He just needed everyone else to leave so that he could do what he wanted. If he was able to open the chest, it meant that it wouldn’t fade, and that would give him some relief, as well as Lady Ava.
But he needed the others to leave for that to happen. He didn’t think Fiona would care, but Lord Ridgewood? Given how he had reacted to finding out that he had lived another life while he’d been injured?
He didn’t want to deal with the line of questioning he would have to field if he found out he was another hero. Even if Fiona had practically said it without saying it earlier. She managed to save it, but still. Lord Ridgewood wasn’t an idiot. He liked to read. Like Cass.
"You should go. Vespertine and I have Lady Ava. She’ll be fine with some rest, like usual. Go make sure that she didn’t do all of this in vain." Cass’ voice held some authority and that seemed to stir Fiona. She sighed, rubbing her face.
"You’re right. Okay. Make a door where Lucy is and I’ll...we’ll deal with this mess." She said, a sense of determination, resignation coming over her. Cass nodded, meeting her gaze for one last second before she spun and marched towards Lucian. Lord Ridgewood glanced back at the trio they were leaving behind, nodded, and followed after her.
Cass was able to breathe with all of them not looking, but he didn’t take it for granted. Instead, he focused on making a relatively small cut out in the stone, a door that only someone with their strength could push.
He watched as Lucian let out another belly laugh as a door was cut into the stone, before he went to push it. He let out another laugh as he had to put his shoulder against it to move it, which showed them that they wouldn’t be allowing anyone else in unless they were a strong fucker.
Cass didn’t know how strong undead were, so he hoped that was enough.
When they were gone, and the sounds of fighting was slightly muffled, but still there, Cass turned to Vespertine and Lady Ava. Vespertine was worried about her, and Cass couldn’t blame him. She had pushed herself too hard, and it was a good thing that they hadn’t stalled too long to come save them.
With that said, Cass didn’t know what he should say, what he could say to comfort the other man. It was clear that their relationship was complicated. Anyone could see that. Lady Ava was brought into the family to take over the position that was probably supposed to be Vespertine’s. Instead of being angry, the man had accepted her into his family like a sister, but he was sure there had to be some animosity. Cass would certainly feel that way if some random punk was brought home by my parents to take the place that I thought had been promised me from a young age.
Unless...
Cass shook his head. It wasn’t any of his damn business what was going on between Lady Ava and Vespertine. His concern was where the Blackburn tie came in. As much as Lady Ava had shit the bed over the last little bit, Cass had made a promise, and he wasn’t going to break his promises. He didn’t need to stoop to anyone else’s level.
He was going to make sure his grandfather didn’t kill Lady Ava’s family. He’d already started the process. It was one of the tasks that was on Sam’s plate for while he was away in the dungeon. Reaching out to Lady Ava’s family through the Blackburn name. At this point in the story, his grandfather would have already reached out. All Cass was doing was muddying the waters for now, but then he would send someone, probably Sir Forsythe, maybe even Ser Hune and her husband, to go and ’clean up the trash’. Probably with a token from Cass so that Sir Forsythe could get them new names, that kind of shit.
He was going to have to hide them from his grandfather.
It was the second step he was taking to make the foundation that the man was standing on crumble beneath him. The first was well on its way, and the third? He just needed to get through the second first.
"Lady Ava, close you eyes and get some sleep. They’ll wake you up when you need to deal with the bodies. For now, you’re stretched thin. Vespertine and I will keep an eye on everyone. No one benefits if you pass out instead of going to sleep." Lady Ava flinched at the tone that Cass was using, but it was super effective.
Vespertine was glaring at him like he was a villain, and Cass just needed to keep it in mind that most people didn’t speak to others like this. Especially injured women.
"Y-You’re right. I-" Cass reached into his bag, his eyes roaming the wall as he fumbled inside before pulling out a soft, fluffy pillow. The one he would have used if he had been in a tent alone. Lady Ava looked stunned, as did Vespertine.
"Use this." Cass tossed it towards her, with the pillow landing in her lap. Lady Ava reached for it, holding it with a shocked gaze. It was made from the animal that Lucian had hunted, but Cass had made sure it didn’t smell like it. He’d read a book on cleaning up from kills, wanting to make sure when he magically...cured it? He wasn’t sure what the term was, but he made sure that it wasn’t molding or going bad.
Vespertine’s gaze when he looked at Cass was complicated, before he turned to Lady Ava and got her settled. Cass also pulled a blanket out of his bag and handed it over. Vespertine tucked her in, and Lady Ava was out like a light. Exhaustion had made her face thin, her expression tight, and Cass tsked.
"A fool." He murmured. Vespertine chuckled.
"I’m beginning to think that sharp tongue of yours is a sign of your care for her." He said as he got to his feet after making sure that Lady Ava was okay. "Now, I think I saw you and Fiona coming up with a plan. What is it?" Vespertine said and Cass jerked. Of course it wouldn’t go unnoticed. Vespertine chuckled at his reaction. "What? Thought you snuck that under the radar? Try again." Vespertine said warmly and Cass grumbled.
"Well, you already know the basic facts of it. I’m...a hero, so I should-"
"-be able to open the chest!" Vespertine finished, his eyes bright with excitement. "Oh! That’s brilliant! Then we don’t have to worry about losing it. That’s very wonderful, Cass. So? Are you going to open it now?" He asked, excited, and Cass nodded.
"I’m not going to look in right away, I’ll leave that excitement for Fiona. I just want to make sure that the effort put into getting this chest isn’t wasted." Vespertine gave Cass a soft look and Cass rolled his eyes.
"You’re a sweetheart, even though she’s been nothing but a terror to you." Vespertine said, like they were talking about a 4 year old instead of a fully grown woman.
"I learned a little bit about why, and I’m not...I’m not a bad person. I don’t agree with what she’s done, and I don’t think we’ll ever get along, but I can do nice things for others." Cass defended himself and Vespertine’s smile grew.
"Mm. Yes you can." Vespertine said and Cass didn’t like the way his voice sounded. Cass needed to concentrate, he didn’t need this distraction.
"I need to focus, so stop whatever the hell you’re doing." Cass warned and Vespertine laughed.
"Alright. I’ll save the teasing for later. Oh shoot! Did we send them out without mental protection?" Vespertine asked, horrified and Cass shook his head.
"I’m able to do both right now." Cass told him casually and Vespertine gave him a look.
"You don’t brag often, but damn does it feel like you’re showing off right now." He muttered, a little bit of attitude in his words, then he sighed, gesturing to the chest below Cass’ foot. "Well, great hero, I’ll hold the chest while you attempt to open it." Vespertine offered, a glimmer in his blue eyes. He always helped Fiona out when she did this. He must just like it.
Cass got down on his knees.