"What do you mean by that?" The Duke growled, but it was clear that Cass’ words had shaken him a bit. He did not like the implication. "What did you do?" He demanded. He reached out a hand, ready to grab Cass, ready to shake him but someone stopped him.
Cass was even surprised by the fact that it wasn’t Byron, or Sam. Instead, it was Gideon. A man who had been on his knees letting his brothers hit him. However, he was not about to let his Father lay a finger on Cass.
"Don’t do that, Father." Gideon’s voice wasn’t as strong as Cass would have liked, but he was a little too shocked that he had stood up to his Father for him. His hand shook a little where he held his Father’s hand, but he still did it.
"Gideon? Why are you stopping me?" The Duke asked and Cass glanced at Gideon, watching his expression. It was clear that he was uncomfortable standing up against him. Cass didn’t really need to see his expression to say that. Seeing Gideon’s green gaze, a reflection of his Father’s, stare at him with an unwavering, determined look. His arms shook, but Cass realised that might also be because he was raising them after having them behind his back for so long.
The skin on his shoulders stretched, looking painful. Cass wanted to help him, wanted to heal him, but that was Gideon’s magic, not Cass’.
"Because you shouldn’t hurt Cass. He’s not the kind of person you’ve always made him out to be." Gideon said, calling his Father out directly. "He’s kind, and he cares. He’s forgiven me after everything that I’ve done. As long as I showed sincerity, he was good to me. Continued to be good to me. He explained everything, and even helped get me an opportunity I couldn’t even imagine in my wildest dreams." Cass had no idea what Gideon was talking about.
Sure, Cass had helped him, but he’d been rude, abrasive, and so had the people around him when he’d brought Gideon back. It was Gideon’s own hard work that had changed other’s opinions of him. As for the opportunity? It was the gods who decided that he should be the next saint, not Cass.
Cass had even thought it was a little bit of a payback moment to force Gideon to have to be around them for longer, and not only that, Cass had made Gideon sign a damn contract so that he couldn’t turn against Cass. While he didn’t think that the man would anymore, that didn’t take away from the fact that Cass had thought that at one point.
His Father scoffed, rolling his eyes at his idiot son.
"He’s bribing you! Can’t you see that? It’s all an act!" His Father protested and Cass was offended by that. Cass might have been putting on an act for him, and maybe in the beginning, but Cass was being true to himself.
He hated these people organically. Through hard work, blood, sweat and tears.
That was so rude to not acknowledge how much effort he was putting in to remain a good person. He’d even been thinking of going to the demon’s side, until he realised how much they had fucked him over, and how they weren’t even willing to give him anything for it.
At least the gods, bare minimum, were trying to correct their mistake. What had the demons given him? A bad reputation and a desire to suck cum out of dudes? That wasn’t much of a reward, was it?
There was also Sam, but Cass was ignoring that aspect. Outside of claiming that they were connected by blood, like brothers, there was no connection in Cass’ mind between Sam and the other demons. He was just an imp who needed a home, and Cass was the best fit.
That was how Cass was going to view it as his feelings of anger and hatred for Cassian’s Mother grew. Especially after meeting the fairies and how nice and kind they were to him. Who could turn their back on that kind of family for no fucking reason besides to sleep with a demon? You could do that on this plane of existence, too!
"As if you’re any fucking better." Cass shot back. "’I’ll love you if you follow all my orders. If you do your best, I’ll accept you for all of your flaws. If you become the best holy knight, I’ll raise you into my heir.’" Cass put on a mocking, high-pitched tone. Then he scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I have no doubt that you wouldn’t classify those as bribes, but I certainly do. A father is supposed to love their children without exception, but I doubt you could say that you do." Cass told him. The Duke growled.
"What would you know about fathers? You don’t even have one." It was a low blow that had Sam and Byron gasping. The magical energy behind them grew tense, and Cass knew that they were seconds away from Byron losing his damn mind.
"Father." Gideon even whispered, sounding upset on Cass’ behalf. Cass narrowed his gaze at the Duke. The Duke looked a little proud of himself, like he had gotten a good dig in.
Cass was sure he wasn’t aware that he was flapping around like a fish caught in the mouth of a larger predator, spreading blood in the water to attract more predators.
Cass glanced at him, then slid his gaze back towards the crowd of men lying on the ground. Edgar still remained over there, keeping an eye on them. It was clear that if they made a single wrong move, the man who had held back for himself was going to snap and do some real damage to the Ridgewood family. Cass then slid his gaze back to the Duke, giving a small, dangerous smile.
"And yet, it seems, that I came out whole when compared to your children." Cass said. The Duke’s proud face faltered slightly, and Cass watched as he clenched his other hand, ready to hit Cass with it. Gideon wasn’t going to be able to stop him, but Cass didn’t have to worry.
It wasn’t as if Byron had remained perfectly still either.
The Duke swung, and Byron appeared at Cass’ side, catching the other man’s hand in his own, his black gaze glowing like a demon hell beast, as he caught, tore the Duke from Gideon’s grip, and flung the man back towards the main house.
If Byron wasn’t careful, the man would have hit the brick building, probably damaging it. Cass was glad that he had restrained himself, even if it was by the slightest margin.
Cass didn’t want to have to pay the man a damn cent if he didn’t have to. Especially not for repairs to this hell house.
"Watch what you say to my master." Byron growled, his voice so deep and dangerous that Cass was almost impressed. It kind of felt like he was mimicking Lucian a bit, and it was a cute thought in the middle of something that was supposed to be harrowing.
"If he’d hit me, Byron, I would have had a reason to hit him back." Cass told him, his tone slightly scolding. Byron’s eye twitched.
"I’m sorry my Lord, I am not going to allow that." Byron told him. "Both my Mother, and your Aunt said so." Cass realised that he didn’t bring Lucian up on purpose, because he knew that it would make him upset to hear that the man had ordered Byron to look out for him. Cass knew that he had. They had probably done it through some dragon bond that they had formed, and the thought just had Cass shaking his head as he gave a soft laugh.
"Right. Of course they did." Cass muttered as they watched the man scramble to his feet, for the second time. This time he had to attempt to appear more dignified than he had before, but it just wasn’t working. He was clearly injured, covered in dust, and his hair was askew. He looked like he was two steps away from being tarred and feathered on a reality t.v. show.
The Duke pointed a finger at Byron, his face twisting with anger and somehow, pleasure.
"D-Demon! You have a demon at your side! You’re finally showing your true colours!" He accused. Cass blinked.
It was not lost on him that the man was right, but he was wrong all at the same time. Byron wasn’t the demon companion that Cass kept at his side, and that was the hilarious part of this whole situation.
Byron’s expression clouded over with confusion, his lips pursing as he wasn’t quite sure what to do with that information, while Sam, who Cass glanced at, was wringing his hands, pale as a ghost.
"Byron is not a demon. He’s far from it. He’s a fairy before he is anything else, and my distant cousin." Cass told the Duke. Byron seemed surprised that Cass called him a fairy, but he could tell that it made Byron happy as well. He didn’t need to be bonded to the dragon to know that. Byron gave Cass a small smile, a head nod, and placed a warm hand on his shoulder and gave it a silent squeeze before he removed his hand.
The Duke seemed confused.
"No fairy I know behaves like that." He ground out and Cass raised an eyebrow.
"How many fairies do you know? By my estimation I know...gosh, how many is it? 30? 40? Is that about right, Byron?" Cass asked, turning to the other man in a move so dismissive of the Duke that Cass could see him boiling inside. Gideon shifted closer to Cass, protective even in the state that he was in. Cass wanted him to not worry about Cass and instead heal himself. He was the injured one right now.
"I think it’s more than that, my Lord." Byron told him and Cass chuckled. He appreciated that the man was on his side in this.
"See? So I feel like I have more experience in saying that I know what a fairy is, and you don’t. Hell, you wouldn’t know a fairy unless they hit you in the face. Would you like that experience?" Cass asked him sweetly, and watched as the Duke flushed.
"Y-You!" He sputtered, at a loss for words. Cass turned and grabbed Gideon by the arm, examining him with his own eyes.
"Is there anything that you need to grab here still?" Cass asked and watched as Gideon struggled, before eventually nodding.
"Yeah. A few mementos." He said softly and Cass nodded.
"Go with Byron now, then. Get them all. We are never coming back here." Cass told him seriously. He watched as Byron grabbed Gideon by the shoulder, more supportive than angry, and the two moved past Gideon’s Father. The man looked pissed that Cass was doing what he wanted, but Cass pointed a finger at him. "If you aren’t careful, I’m going to let Edgar end your bloodline right now." Cass warned.
Cass didn’t even need to look behind him to know that Edgar was cracking his knuckles.
The Duke kept his complaints to himself, seeing how serious both Cass and Edgar were.