Chapter 18: A pain so bad that even the men cared

Cass took a long, deep sip from his teacup as he tried to hide how much pain he was in. The pounding, pulsing headache didn’t go away the longer that Cass sat there, and it became such a distraction that he wasn’t able to trade barbs with Lord Vespertine any longer.

When he fell silent, that was when even the men in the room began to worry.

Sam, who Cass had a feeling was supposed to remain silent and unnoticed, stepped forward, concern on his face.

“My Lord? Should I…go get some more healing tonic?” Cass did his best not to gag, and almost failed. Lady Ava, who was watching him like a hawk, drew her brows together in concern.

“Healing tonic? What kind of thing are you drinking that makes you turn even more white?” She asked softly, but clearly wasn’t going to take anything but an honest answer from Cass’ lips.

Cass gave a soft laugh.

“It’s the pain, Lady Ava, not the tonic that has me like this.” She gasped.

“What? How much pain are you in? Lucy!” She quickly turned her anger towards the beast sitting across from them. Draken looked taken aback.

“What? What did I do?” He sounded offended and Cass chuckled, but stopped with a groan. Those damn motherfuckers. Of course this couldn’t be a quick and easy process. Oh no. They had to be getting back at him for standing up for himself. Those damn fuckers.

He was going to build an altar to the demon who they hated the most. If there was already an altar, he was going to make sure it was fucking gleaming.

Maybe he’d even polish it himself. In the dead of night. So that Lady Ava didn’t see him do it. He didn’t want to have to explain himself.

Lady Fiona was staring at him with a frown on her face. Cass felt his heart jerk in his chest. She looked just like his sister in that moment that he almost didn’t register the words coming out of her mouth.

“Lord Cassian? You do not look well. Ava should take-”

“I’ll be fine, Lady Fiona, but thank you for your concern. I’m sorry. I wanted to remain with you until you had finished eating, but it appears that I am not well enough to remain the whole time. I promise I’ll try to do better next time.” Cass tried to push his chair back, but found that he couldn’t. He couldn’t hide the surprise on his face as his legs gave out underneath him and the other men at the table seemed shocked as well.

Lady Ava covered her mouth, while Lady Fiona’s lips turned down in a frown. Sam, bless his soul, rushed forward before any of the others could act, saving him from the embarrassment of being helped by any of the men again.

It was bad enough he was carried by his wife while awake. It would hurt him even more if he was carried by one of his husbands in law? Brother husbands? Whatever it was, it was embarrassing. He also didn’t want to know how fit they were in comparison to his current self.

Sam carefully helped Cass to his feet, both of the women beside Cass watching him like a hawk. Poor Sam was sweating up a storm. Cass was going to have to let him take at least a half an hour break to recover emotionally from this. Fuck.

Cass forgot about how he’d had to deal with the whole lot of them while Lord Blackburn had been unconscious. Cass was going to have to give him like a month off. It would have to wait until he had more of his shit together.

Sorry Sam. Hold on. Fighting.

Cass gripped onto Sam’s forearm tightly, using him to help him stand. Fuck. He’d been fine getting down here. He’d actually thought he had recovered quite a bit, so why was he reacting this way? This was the second time that his body had taken a turn.

“Lord Cassian, I don’t think this is the time to be stubborn. Please. It hurts to see you this way. Let me at the very least carry yo-” Lady Fiona was speaking, her words full of concern but Cass couldn’t take it. Between the pain pulsing behind his eyes, and the embarrassment he had endured yesterday, he snapped.

“No!” His voice filled the space, and everyone froze. Including Cass.

Fucking christ. Did Lord Blackburn not know how to stop others without yelling? Why did that come so naturally? Cass had barely raised his voice before now. But it was clear from how some of them reacted, the men specifically, that this was not uncommon.

Cass winced, sucking air in between his teeth as the pulse was particularly painful and Cass felt violent. Not towards the girls. They were just trying to take care of him. No.

Towards the fuckers who tricked him.

“I’m sorry, Lady Fiona. I didn’t mean to raise my voice at you.” Cass got out between gritted teeth. Sam’s expression was full of worry, along with Lady Ava. “But I just…I don’t want to be touched right now. Or carried. I appreciate that you can do it in a heartbeat, but I am feeling a bit sensitive to everything right now.” Cass told her and she nodded. It was clear to anyone that whatever Cass was experiencing, it wasn’t pleasant.

“Should we…call a Doctor?” She asked delicately, and Cass laughed. It wasn’t a kind sound.

“I believe that they could not help me.” Cass told her. “And from the way you asked that, you know that as well.” Cass snorted, and then winced as the throbbing intensified.

A loud screeching filled the air as a heavy chair was pushed back across the wooden floors.

“Alright. Enough with the melodrama. If you’re going to make them worry so much, and kick up such a big stink about her not carrying you, I’ll fucking do it. I should take some responsibility, shouldn’t I? As the one who hurt you?” Draken made quick work of the distance between them while Cass stared at him in shock.

What the fuck? This was one of the last things he considered happening. Even Lady Fiona and Lady Ava seemed shocked.

“Uh, maybe you shouldn’t, Lucy.” Lady Ava’s voice trembled, and he rolled his eyes, snorting.

“Why? Are you afraid I’m going to hurt the little guy walking him back to his rooms?” Lady Ava glanced at Cass, watching as he stiffened at the nickname.

“Uh, no. I’m actually worried about your health, Lucy. Cassian is missing parts of his memories, therefore if you push his buttons too much he could unintentionally hurt you with one of his spells.”

Cass felt a strange feeling fill his body, slightly distracting him from the pain in his head as he realised that Lady Ava was right. Lord Blackburn, as he knew him, was a powerful magic user. So powerful that he was able to go toe to toe with Draken.

But Cass as he was had no fucking clue how to do magic. There was a non zero chance that he could go out of control if he didn’t manage his emotions well right now.

He let out a shaky, soft exhale, but it appeared that fucking Draken caught it.

We, is the little mage worried he could hurt me? That’s cute. Same with your worry, Lady Ava. I’m probably the best guy to escort him if that’s your worry. Worst he could do is burn off my clothes. I’m immune to fire.” He bragged, puffing his chest out and Lady Fiona put her head in her hands and groaned.

If he was trying to hide that he was a dragon, which he was supposed to be doing, he was doing a piss poor job.

“Physically, maybe.” Lady Fiona agreed. “But you two get along like oil and water, Lucy.” Draken glanced towards Cass who was holding onto Sam’s forearm for dear life and the back of his chair while his legs shook. He smirked, crossing his arms as he came to stand just behind Lady Fiona’s chair, near Cass.

“Well, that can change, can’t it? After all, he lost his memories. Or, most of them. Now is the perfect time for us to get off on the right foot. Plus, I’m curious to know what he remembers.” Fear filled Cass’ body as the word ‘curious’ left his lips.

Lady Fiona went white too.

It was a bad, bad thing to hear. Anyone who knew what Draken was, or who had read the book would be afraid of that word.

Creatures like him, whenever they got curious meant that they didn’t stop investigating until their curiousity was satiated. It was a bad, bad thing if Cass had caught his attention in that way.

“I can’t be too different from how I used to be.” Cass muttered, wincing as his head throbbed. He shouldn’t have spoken. It caused the balance he’d temporarily grabbed onto through fear and worry to dissolve and now he was in terrible pain again.

Draken grinned at him widely, shifting closer until he grabbed onto Cass’ upper arm, turning him and basically holding his whole weight with his one arm.

“There’s not fucking way you’re like how you used to be. You didn’t even fucking talk to any of us previously. I wonder what I knocked free when I pushed you off the ledge by accident? You usually catch yourself, so I went a little too hard I guess.” Cass didn’t even want to know what too hard meant to him.

Fucking monster.

Sam was opening and closing his mouth like a fish, unsure what to do as Draken turned him, practically carrying him out of the room by his arm.

“Lucy! Be gentle with him!” Lady Fiona practically yelled and Cass glanced at Draken to find him rolling his eyes.

“First it’s treat him like a threat, then it’s treat him gently? What am I supposed to do when you are giving me such mixed messages? He’s a delicate weapon? Ha!” He let out a bark of laughter that had Cass grabbing his head and groaning, it was so loud. He turned his gaze towards Cass who looked up at him, his red eyes watering slightly and Draken froze.

“Yes. You are supposed to treat me like that. Everyone knows mages are the delicate types.” Cass ground out and watched as Draken raised his eyebrow.

“Everyone? Did ya get a memory back, Lord Blackburn?” He teased before glancing over his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he gets back into bed, maybe after he eats some of that allergy safe food. Lead the way, Lord Blackburn’s aid.” Draken ordered while Cass heard Lady Fiona groan. She muttered something, but they were moving so quickly away from the door that he couldn’t pick it up.

Fuck. He had wanted to avoid this.

“Gideon and Fiona were right. You weigh like, five pounds.” Right. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid. Fuck him.

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