Cass could hear people moving up the stairs behind him, but he didn’t acknowledge them.
Even when they got to the top level and Lucian moved towards the bedroom. Even when they got inside.
Cass was too angry at them, for their hesitancy, to even look at them. The greatest betrayal was actually Edgar. The man had been all fucking over him only a few hours prior, telling him that he accepted him, that he cared for him, but then he believed more in the woman who faked being in love with him for fucking years over Cass?
Was he fucking serious?
Cass felt that his rage was justified, and if Lucian could feel the direction of his rage, he was keeping that to himself. Instead, once everyone was in the bedroom, he turned Cass towards the bathroom.
It was an effective way to cut off the others, and also explained how the two were soaking wet and Lucian wasn’t wearing a top when he entered Cass’ bathroom.
The room was set up in a way that was clearly romantic. The lighting was dim, there was a soft, sweet floral smell in the air. The tub was full, bubbles remaining even as they had spent some time downstairs and there was Cass’ moment on the stair as well. Cass wondered what was making the lights so dim when he realised that there were flickering, open flames dotted around the bathroom.
Some on the counters, a few on a small table near the tub’s edge, and a few further away from the splash zone but still near the tub’s edge. Cass hadn’t seen candles in this world since he entered. Everything was powered by magic, which was essentially electricity in Cass’ mind.
It would have been a sweet moment if not for the loaded bomb that Fiona had dropped and then exploded, in his lap.
Edgar attempted to follow after them but Lucian didn’t allow him in.
"Out." Lucian ordered. There was a clear moment of hesitancy, like he was waiting for Cass to look at him. Edgar shouldn’t waste his breath. Cass didn’t look back to see Edgar’s face, and the door closed behind them quietly.
The sigh that left Lucian’s body carried a heavy weight to it, but Cass didn’t ask. He could tell what the man was going to say, what he wanted to say. Cass didn’t want to fucking hear it right now.
"I brought over your little side bag so you could select a book to read while you relaxed in the bath." Lucian’s words almost surprised Cass. He would have thought that he made this grand, romantic gesture and wanted to profit off of it. Get some brownie points in and take advantage of it. However, the man wasn’t going to do that.
Wow. Good for him. What an improvement.
"Okay." Cass said.
"Do you need help undressing?" He asked and Cass hesitated, before he gave a nod of agreement. Lucian let out a soft chuckle and slowly put Cass down on his feet. He leaned in, pushing Cass’ hair back and hesitated for a second before he pressed a kiss against the scar on Cass’ forehead. Cass’ stomach dipped, a strange feeling in his gut as the man pulled away and smiled at him.
Then, without much fuss, he began to help Cass get undressed. He only needed to help for a little bit before Cass could do the rest on his own and Cass shoed the man out. Or, attempted to.
Before Cass could pull off the rest of his clothes, Lucian gave another heavy sigh and Cass felt his body tense.
"I know I have no right to say anything," he began and Cass stiffened further.
"Then don’t say it." Cass snapped, interrupting him and Lucian gave him an understanding look.
"However," he continued, "I don’t want this moment to ruin everything." Lucian said. "I understand that you are angry. I’ll go read the letter that she left to you to attempt to understand your anger after I leave here, however, I don’t want you to hate him for his reaction." Lucian said carefully. Cass felt a wave of rage fill him.
"Are you defending him?" Cass asked, pissed, and Lucian shrugged, giving another sigh.
"No? Yes? I’m not sure. I just want you to consider everything. I can’t know exactly what you’re feeling, even with the bond mark, but I do think that...this is a complicated situation. Maybe he was reacting with shock? I don’t know, I’m just asking to not make snap judgements in your own anger. Which I do think is justified, but I just don’t want you to hurt yourself more than you need to, Sweetness." Lucian told him and Cass let out the breath he’d been holding.
"You don’t want me to hurt myself?" Cass asked, repeating his last phrase. Lucian nodded. He moved towards Cass, checking to see if his touch was still allowed before he cupped Cass’ face.
"You have a soft heart, Cass. A hard barrier to get through, but a soft heart once inside. You feel things so deeply, with such force that I find I have to fight against them sometimes. Even now, I’m fighting the urge to just go pummel Eddie right now." Lucian said, giving a small smile. It was clear he was trying to make a little joke, but Cass didn’t find it funny.
He was reeling from the fact that Lucian had pinned Cass completely. The fact that he was able to see so much of him scared him. Terrified him. He had hated the invasion of his privacy before, but this felt worse. Bigger. Scarier.
"How did you find that out? Through the bond?" Cass asked and looked up at Lucian. Lucian swallowed as he met the red, empty gaze of Cass. He kept his hand on Cass’ cheek, his finger rubbing the skin there almost like he wasn’t aware of it.
"Not completely." Lucian said, trying to sound truthful. Cass wasn’t sure if he believed him. "I’m speaking the truth, Cass. I was given a hint when we first bonded, and after that...I found out the rest on my own." Lucian admitted, and Cass watched as his face turned a brighter shade and he cleared his throat. He sounded nervous suddenly.
"What do you mean by that?" Cass asked, pushing and Lucian stared at Cass’ face, his dead red eyes, and sighed.
"You wouldn’t have let me touch you if you hadn’t let me into your heart, Cass." Lucian told him and Cass jolted. "I realised that when you were so desperate for a contract. I would have listened to anything, but you...you’re so sweet and worried all the time. You try to protect yourself so much. I just...I know he hurt you, I know that they hurt you. I’m not asking you to forgive Fiona. What she did was messed up. I would have roared with flames, burning a city or forest down if someone had done the same to me. However, with that being said, I know that would only hurt you more if you did that because you care about others." Cass couldn’t breathe.
"Stop talking." Cass ordered, overwhelmed but Lucian, seeming to know too much about Cass, pushed on.
"I find it such a powerful feeling inside of me that you are able to feel so much, even after everything that has happened to you. What you’ve lived through, what you need to do still. You keep this air of life around you that I just...I haven’t seen in others all that much anymore. It’s refreshing, invigorating, but also dangerous. You could cut off people easily if you think that they could harm you. I don’t want you to do that. I think if you are able to forgive Gideon, and me, you should consider forgiving Edgar. Maybe not today, or even tomorrow, but don’t-don’t cut him off because of this." Lucian asked carefully, squeezing Cass’ cheek softly before he leaned in and pressed another kiss against his forehead. "Enjoy your bath. Take your time. While I’ve said all this, I am still going to rip a fucking strip off of him for his response." Lucian whispered. "He thinks I’ve just been defending him to you, so this is going to come as a fun surprise." Lucian’s eyes sparkled and he gave a wink as he pulled away.
He left, leaving Cass alone in the bathroom feeling unmoored, untethered. He swayed on his feet, his lungs screaming for air. He took a deep, unsteady gulp of air as he stared at the door.
It was only a few minutes later that he heard shouting and the sound of something getting physical. Cass let out a shaky breath.
What was he supposed to do?
In the face of that, the emotional rollercoaster that Lucian just had him on, and now, that?
Lucian wasn’t supposed to be emotionally intelligent. He was supposed to be...what? A dumb dragon? A big oaf who showed off his pecs, wiggled his eyebrows and tried to win him over with food, his body, and nothing else?
Why was he swaying Cass’ heart like this? Making him want to strangle Lucian for daring to step out of line in Cass’ mind, and then defending him only a few moments later? That was...
It was sweet. The fact that he was showing concern for him, for who he would be after this, and not just because he wanted Cass to forgive Edgar?
Cass closed his eyes, a small whimper leaving his lips as he wrapped his arms around his own body and shuddered.
The anger was leaving him, leaving him cold suddenly. He needed...He needed to get into the tub, warm his body and just...forget this.
He was exhausted, had been exhausted before this, but this was making it so much worse. He also felt conflicted, thanks to the words that Lucian had spoken. The anger was still there, but it wasn’t as bright inside of him.
What was left in its place was hurt and fear. Fear that he wouldn’t be able to do what Fiona had done, fear that things would take a catastrophic turn without Fiona with them, or Lady Ava for that matter. She had holy powers. That was how they defeated demons in their entirety. What the fuck were they supposed to do without them?
Cass was basically useless most of the time right now, outside of his financial power and political sway. He supposed he could try to get the whole marriage thing sorted now. God, that was going to be painful, and Cass didn’t know if they had that much time. If Cass remembered correctly, they were supposed to go to another dungeon here in a week or so.
How were they going to be able to clear it without Fiona, a hard hitter, and Lady Ava, a hard hitter in her own right? Cass was just a useless mage, Lucian could probably tank, Edgar was also a useless mage and Lord Ridgewood didn’t have a sword right now.
Cass slowly pulled his clothes off, his mind racing as he let out a heavy sigh. The sounds of fighting filtering in through the door.
This was going to be a damn nightmare.