Edgar essentially held the rest of the Ducal family hostage until Gideon came back out of the main house with Byron. The Duke was clearly beside himself with anger, but what could he really do?
He was afraid of Lucian, that was obvious, but he was now wary of Byron for other reasons. He wasn’t exactly scared of Cass, more like annoyed. Cass would make sure that that was a mistake he never forgave himself for.
Sam was the one who went to Edgar and carefully escorted him back to the others. Cass could tell this was the one thing that Edgar was not happy that he was giving up on. He wanted to punish them, wanted to humiliate them.
Cass had a better, more humiliating idea that might not get traced back to them. He just needed to get Edgar alone in the carriage and explain it to him then instead of letting him let his anger get the best of him now.
As Gideon and Byron approached, passing by Gideon’s Father with a heavy cloth bag full of things that he clearly valued enough to come back here, Cass pulled Edgar closer.
"Keep your anger in for now. I have a plan. They aren’t getting away without suffering." Cass told him and Edgar cast Cass a look.
"You mean it?" Edgar asked, and it was clear that he had been planning to do something to them even if he had walked away with Sam’ prodding. Cass nodded in confirmation, meeting Edgar’s gaze head on.
Edgar finally backed down, his blue eyes blazing with anger and indignation, but he trusted Cass enough to believe his words. That was a gift that Cass wasn’t aware that Edgar could give him, or one that Cass believed would have as much value as it did.
"You’ll regret this." His Father warned as Gideon passed. Cass watched as the man tensed, Gideon’s shoulders pulling in as fear consumed him from his Father’s words. Cass rolled his eyes at his last ditch attempt to make him feel bad, make him rethink his choices. Cass spat on the ground, showing what he thought of the man’s stupid words before Cass gave him the middle finger.
"Shut up old man. What the hell would you even know about regret? You’ve never been regretful about one damn bad thing you’ve ever done, while Gideon here has done the fucking work. You should be ashamed of yourself, and honestly? I’m glad the only thing that Gideon got from you was your damn hair colour and eye colour. If he looked like you, like the rest of the lot, he’d be ugly. This way I at least have a pretty boy by my side to fit the image of a saint." Cass told him, not at all regretful for his own words.
The Duke looked shocked, while Edgar let out a rather impolite snort, then covered his mouth as if trying to restrain himself. Even Sam laughed, while Gideon blushed.
"Cass." Gideon admonished, but he had a little sparkle in his eye that told Cass that he liked to hear it too. Cass flipped off the Duke for longer, it was obvious that he had no idea what it meant. Cass almost wanted to explain it to him so that he could understand the level of disrespect that he was showing, but decided this obliviousness was worth it.
"Did I say anything wrong?" Cass asked Gideon, and he couldn’t say anything about it. Cass then tossed his head back and nodded. "That’s what I thought. Let’s get out of here." Cass said, and that’s exactly what they did.
Unlike last time, no guards tried to stop them from leaving, and Cass was thankful for it. He had a dragon holding onto their temperament for dear life, Edgar who wasn’t much better, and an injured saint who was trying to play it off like they weren’t injured in the slightest.
"Edgar, carry him." Cass told Edgar once they were around the side of the Ridgewood mansion and the long road stretched before them. Gideon let out a small gasp at Cass’ order, but Edgar didn’t hesitate. Much like how he picked up Cass, Edgar swept Gideon off of his feet in a classic princess carry. Cass had to hide his smile.
At least he wasn’t the only injured one around here getting carried like a damn princess.
With the injured Gideon being carried, and Edgar now having something to focus on, things dimmed down slightly. Byron was even nice enough to help the guards put the gate back into place before making sure everyone got into the carriage before stepping inside himself. It was a tight squeeze, but that was alright.
Cass didn’t mind being squeezed between Gideon and the wall of the carriage, Edgar on his other side and Sam and Byron sitting next to each other.
"Gideon, why didn’t you heal yourself?" Cass couldn’t help that the first question that came out of his mouth sounded harsh. Cass could tell that Edgar was thinking the same thing. Even Sam looked stricken, his lips in a thin line.
Byron and Sam were holding hands, as if the connection was keeping the both of them sane. Cass couldn’t exactly blame them. This was supposed to be a simple retrieval mission, and instead it had turned into a field trip where a few people almost died. None of their people, but still.
Gideon didn’t look like he had a reason or an excuse to defend himself. Cass was almost grateful for that. If he had? Well, he was sure the angry Edgar would have torn it to shreds.
"I...I don’t know why. I think I...might have forgotten I could even heal myself." Gideon whispered. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to get this bad. I thought I was strong enough to do this on my own, and you needed your rest. Both of you, all of you. I thought I could do it on my own." Gideon sounded upset, torn up inside. Cass didn’t want him to feel that way.
He wasn’t really mad at Gideon, he was just annoyed that he had fallen into old patterns, but that wasn’t something he could control. He had been essentially alone, by himself trying to face off with his life-long bullies. Cass could have compassion for him, since he knew what it was like.
"Gideon, I’m not looking for an apology. Can’t you say thank you for us showing up and having your back instead of apologising for us having to come get you?" Cass asked carefully and watched as Gideon swallowed. He nodded.
"I...thank you for coming to get me. Really, I don’t know what I would have done without you." Gideon whispered.
"You would have had to clean up a mess, that’s what." Edgar snapped. "Byron was ready to kill everyone there with his cool dragon powers, and I fully agree with him. What was this plan you had in mind, Cass?" Edgar asked, his anger not tempered in the slightest. Byron let out a soft chuckle.
"Don’t let Lucian hear that you think my powers are cool." Byron said with a small smile but Edgar wasn’t in the mood for it.
"Cass? What made you stop me from following through with something you already said I could do?" Edgar asked and Gideon glanced at Cass too. Cass sighed.
"Edgar, if you personally cut off their dicks, it would be easily traced back to us and there were too many witnesses. We need to be sneaky." Cass told him and Edgar snarled. He was so angry that his fangs had descended and he was showing them off to everyone. Sam gasped, this being the first time that he had seen them.
Cass shifted in his seat, a little awkward with how his body responded to the sight of them. Now was not the time to be turned on when Edgar was clearly the furthest from feeling the same way.
"Sneaky? Why do we need to be sneaky with a bunch of dumb fucking knights?" He asked and Gideon winced. Cass hoped that he understood that his words weren’t aimed at him, but Edgar was also in a mood where he didn’t even soothe Gideon.
"It’s not just the knights that we’re dealing with, Edgar. We’re also dealing with my grandfather." Cass reminded him carefully. "While Gideon’s father is about as smart as any knight can be after taking so many blows to the head, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have powerful backers. People would say the same thing about Gideon and I." Cass pointed out. "However, Edgar, you have a very good source at your hands. You have...people in the sex industry who would jump at the chance for protection from a powerful family if it also meant harming another powerful one." Cass said.
It took Edgar a moment to really process what he meant, and then he scrunched up his face.
"I don’t want to put them in harm’s way. There is a reason I distanced myself from them. It was to keep them safe from my Father’s ire and anyone else’s." Edgar told him and Cass felt his heart warm at the care he showed towards people who had been expected to be discarded.
Who had a history of being discarded.
"We can ask them before we make any decisions, can’t we? Why don’t you ask them? You can tell them that there is no pressure, we just wanted to ask if they would help. We won’t be upset if they say no, but that I am also happy to buy them a home, and whisk them away from the streets if they want, or I am happy to fund whatever they want, save someone, anything. Nothing is off the table if it means that Gideon’s family gets their just deserts." Cass said.
He watched as Edgar thought about his words, processing them slowly. Sam looked like he was nervous next to Byron.
"I could do it." Sam suggested and Byron snarled.
"Absolutely not! You are not getting close enough to them to see their manhood!" Sam shrunk in the face of Byron’s all encompassing anger and Cass shrugged.
"Worse case scenario, I’ll do it." Cass said. "I can figure out how to use my sexy pheromones or whatever the hell it is and disguise myself. I’m sure there is magic for that." Cass said.
Gideon and Edgar stiffened, looking about as angry as Byron did, only it was directed towards Cass.
"Neither one of you is doing a damn thing like that, am I clear? I’ll ask around, like you suggested, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll just hire a fucking hitman. The Ridgewood family dies with Gideon." Edgar declared. "The same way that the Vespertine family dies with me." Cass nodded slowly to Edgar’s words, glad that he had somehow convinced him that going with Cass’ plan first was the smart idea.
Cass patted Gideon’s thigh.
"When we get back to the manor, you’re healing yourself Gideon. Promise me that." Cass ordered and Gideon swallowed. His cheeks flushed and he nodded.
"Of course, Cass." He agreed easily and Cass nodded. The energy in the carriage was confusing, tense, but it was from the fact that all of them cared deeply about each other. Cass was able to put up with it if that was the case.