Chapter 204: We would what?
Cass could tell that he wasn’t the only one nervous. Lady Ava was wiping her hands on her skirts when he joined them, her expression tight, her eyes downcast. She looked like she had barely gotten any sleep the night before.
Fiona had pulled up some things to sit on, and a light dangled in the air so that they were able to see each other’s faces clearly. Cass had barely sat down when Lady Ava exploded.
"I am so sorry!" She practically shouted. "I wasn’t-this wasn’t-I had no idea!" She said, and tears began to pour from her eyes. "I had no idea that you weren’t-that this was going to be the outcome. I just spoke from my knowledge. I didn’t know. I had no idea. I had no idea that the things I was doing were hurting you." Tears poured from her eyes and she glanced up at Cass, true regret on her face. "You’ve been nothing but kind in the face of everything I’ve done to you. I’m so sorry." Kind? Cass?
Cass blinked slowly.
"Lady Ava, I’m not kind." Cass told her and she shook her head.
"You are. You accommodated all of my requests, all of the things I’ve done. You even-you even told me off in ways that would make me think, consider what I was doing instead of tearing me down. You just..." Lady Ava covered her face with her hands, sobbing. It took her a minute to gather herself. Cass took that moment to look at Fiona, to see what she was thinking of this whole situation.
Fiona’s face was soft, tender as she looked at the sobbing woman. Cass felt a pang, a light go off as he realised that they might have...rekindled things. When Fiona turned her gaze to Cass, she let out a sigh.
"Lady Ava was the one who declared first, before even I or Lucian could say anything, that we weren’t telling anyone about your blood." Fiona said, her voice soft. "There’s no need to tell people who don’t matter. You matter to us, Cass, and if that means we find out things about you that the public can’t know, then that’s what we do. It’s time that we both keep this secret for you. We all keep this secret for you. No doubt you’ve been keeping secrets for us this whole time." She said, her smile warm, her expression light.
Cass felt his jaw drop. He didn’t know what to say. Truly. Lady Ava uncovered her face, her eyes red from crying as she tried to wipe her face.
"I wasn’t doing it because I wanted to gain something from you. I won’t tell the temple. No one has to know. I don’t care. You’ve spoken to the gods, so I know your allegiance and the gods wouldn’t speak to someone, give them the power that they gave you if they thought you were going to use it for evil. I can’t see you doing that." Lady Ava spoke with a conviction that made Cass want to wince.
Well, Cass might not, but Lord Blackburn? He’d turned against them.
Whoops.
But this reality hadn’t happened in the original book either. No one had known for sure that Cass had demon blood in him. He was pretty sure that Lord Blackburn had known, but he didn’t know if he had confirmed it or not.
Cass let out a soft sigh.
"So you aren’t killing me or kicking me out?" Cass asked and both Fiona and Lady Ava looked horrified.
"What? Kill you? What in the world gave you that idea?" Fiona asked, getting to her feet partially, her form still slightly slumped over. She had clearly stood up out of shock. Cass swallowed, clasping his hands in his lap.
"Well, that’s what people normally do to demons." Cass said simply. Lady Ava’s already pale face went even more white.
"We are not treating you like a monster when we don’t even know what you are. I saw how shocked you were, Cass. I know you didn’t know." Lady Ava said, her voice firm. Cass glanced down at his hands in his lap, a slightly bitter smile on his face.
"Well, I...had an inclining, actually, but no solid evidence until you said something." Cass said quietly. "How could I? All things related to demons are illegal, and my family is already suspected for dealing with demons thanks to my mother. How was I going to be able to find out more information about this...thing happening to me?" Cass suggested mildly, raising his gaze.
Lady Ava looked horrified, and guilty, while Fiona looked pissed.
"Well, wipe being murdered off of your damn list because there is no fucking way that’s happening." She snarled, before she covered her face with her hand. "Sorry. I’m just worked up. I can’t believe you were thinking I was going to kill you. That we were going to kill you." Fiona looked upset, angry, but Cass felt a strange sense of calm fill him.
He wasn’t going to die. At least not by their hands. But it was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. The simple fact that Lord Ridgewood wasn’t here. Wasn’t saying the same thing.
"Lord Ridgewood doesn’t share the same sentiment, does he?" Cass looked around at their faces. He watched as Lady Ava paused, her expression faltering as Fiona looked away, pissed. Cass let out a soft chuckle. "It’s okay. Not everyone needs to like me. I just need to know if he’s going to hurt me while in the dungeon." Cass asked and Fiona’s jaw tightened.
"I don’t think he will, but I’m also not sure. I’ve never seen this side of him. He’s...fuck." She rubbed her hands over her face. "I used to think that the fact that he was so silent and usually respectful meant that he was okay but seeing this side of him?" Fiona shook her head. When Cass glanced at Lady Ava, she looked ill.
"He scared me, Cass." She told him and Cass was surprised to hear those words from her mouth. "He sounded like some of the priests I tried to avoid being around when I was at the main temple. The ones that didn’t like Eddie. They said he was necessary, but disgusting. I don’t think of Eddie that way. He’s also the son of the High Priest. He should be treated much better than that." She said, anger tingling her tone.
She then looked a little guilty. "They were the same ones who also told me about...purity." She said, guilty and embarrassed. Ah. Well, at least Cass had an answer to some of the things he’d been curious about. There was a more strict movement in the temple itself. That wasn’t too surprising.
"Is...Vespertine okay?" Cass asked and Fiona sighed.
"I don’t know. He’s not saying anything. I tried to speak with him last night after the conversation and this morning but he brushed me off. For obvious reasons." Fiona looked bitter. "I don’t know what I was thinking." She muttered. "I let that damn man convince me." Cass started. A man? Convinced her of what? Marriage?
Cass bent, staring at Fiona.
"Who convinced you it was a good idea to get married, Fiona?" He asked and Fiona flinched. Then she let out a bitter laugh.
"The King, and you’ll never guess what? He suggested Lord Ridgewood first." She said and Cass felt a puzzle piece click. He wanted her to marry into the family that normally protected the royal bloodline. That might mean that Lord Ridgewood knew who Fiona was.
Had always known who Fiona was.
Cass felt his lips turn up as a small prediction that he’d always had locked into place.
"That slimy fucker." Cass muttered, and both women stared at him in shock. Cass blinked, before his lips turned up. "I was referring to the King." Cass clarified. That only seemed to upset Lady Ava more, while Fiona fought a grin.
"Right?" Fiona agreed and Lady Ava jerked her gaze towards Fiona, shocked. Clearly, they hadn’t gotten close enough for Fiona to confide the new truth that she had found out about herself to her yet. "He only brought up marrying the other duke’s sons after. He was probably hoping to keep your families in check that way." Cass had to agree.
It made perfect sense.
"That man. He’s owed a good punch." Cass said and Fiona nodded.
"I’d love to be able to do it." She said and Cass nodded.
"I agree. I think you’re owed it. As compensation for all the shit he’s putting you through. As a hero and otherwise." Cass said and Fiona turned contemplative before she sighed.
"Anyways, we were really calling you over to tell you that we’re terribly sorry and that we don’t want you to leave. I think Lord Ridgewood might get over this damn mood he’s going to be in once we get to the capital after this and he can speak to the temple for his own peace of mind. He already knows he’s not allowed to tell on you, and if he does? Well, he’s kicked out." Fiona said and Cass was surprised.
She was going to kick Lord Ridgewood out? Of the hero party? That was shocking.
Lady Ava was in full agreement, nodding along to Fiona’s words.
"Yes. We need you, Cass, and we wanted you here with us. That’s the most important thing to take away from this. We like you, and...this dungeon has really been taking swings at you. I’m sorry for that as well. Is there anything I can do that would make you more comfortable?" She asked and Cass hesitated.
"I...feel uncomfortable when you use your powers around me." He told her and she nodded, her expression firm.
"That would make sense. We are told in our schooling system that holy powers and demonic powers are opposite sides." She said. "Anything else? Anything else I can do? I will stop blessing food as well when we get home." She said, nodding to herself. "I can just bless my own food. I don’t need to bless everyone’s food. Or, we can take a portion out of the food that arrives and designate it your own." She said and Cass finally felt himself relax.
"Then...can I have that ring? I think it might...help diminish my reactions to your powers." Both ladies hesitated.
"It’ll be...pretty obvious if you wear that ring." Fiona said and Cass chuckled.
"I can just disguise the colour of the gem when in public, or not wear it. I’m thinking mostly for the dungeon or things like that." Cass told them and watched them both relax.
"Okay. Perfect. I can absolutely agree with that kind of logic. I’ll speak to Eddie about it, since he’s carrying the items in his bag." Fiona said and Cass nodded. She got to her feet fully. "Can we...hug it out? I just want you to know that we don’t think of you as lesser, and we aren’t killing you, Cass." Fiona’s tone was firm. "Never."
His chest ached as he heard those words from the woman who had killed Lord Blackburn in a different universe. Let’s all hope that those words were true.