Chapter 326: A lady on a leash
Lord Ridgewood was uncomfortable. For obvious reasons that Cass could understand, he thought everyone was mad at him for even being in the carriage. Little did the man know that Fiona and Cass had just spent 10 minutes getting mad at Edgar and Lucian for joining forces against them, with Lord Ridgewood at times, to gather all the information about the other and share with the group.
Fiona had a bigger reason to get mad, but Cass was fucking embarrassed.
He had thought it strange that they were able to fall into line together so quickly. This explained it all. The fuckers had already done it once, for Fiona, and now they were doing it for Cass too. Assholes.
Edgar at least seemed sheepish, a little embarrassed now that it was out in the open? Lucian? Of course the man didn’t care. He was more worried about the fact that Cass and Fiona had ripped a strip off of him then he was worried about the fact he’d got caught planning things with the other men.
He didn’t understand why that was weird or would make them feel weird. For once, Cass was glad that he had Fiona on his side who had gone through the same thing that he had. That he was currently going through.
He should honestly be grateful for all the work she had put in up until this point. Given that she was probably the one who had convinced him to put human clothes on once she first met him.
All of this was to say that Lord Ridgewood was the least of his worries when they got into the carriage. It was not the least of someone’s worries though.
Lady Ava was like a pissed off rottweiler with a muzzle on.
She was rumbling, grumbling, and angry. It almost sounded like she had taken a page out of Lucian’s book with the little angry sounds she was making. It was helping Fiona calm down, but it put Cass in an awkward position. They were using the expanded carriage that Cass had made, but that didn’t mean the space inside was infinite.
So, Cass made sure that he was sitting in between Lady Ava and Lord Ridgewood. Which meant that more people were pissed off because Cass was close to Lord Ridgewood. Lord Ridgewood himself protested Cass being near him, not wanting to ruffle anymore feathers then he already had, but Cass wouldn’t hear anyone else’s complaints.
Why the hell would Lord Ridgewood do anything to him in the carriage? The man had planned a methodical betrayal of the group. So methodical that Cass was impressed in the only way a fellow villain could be. He wasn’t stupid enough to hurt Cass now, especially with the whole party in the carriage, and Lady Ava, someone who he was supposed to listen to, so fucking angry at him.
So, Cass didn’t think the man had the balls to do anything. That, and he needed the contract that the Duke had made up for Lord Ridgewood to sign, and he needed to sign it too.
A contract only worked if both parties signed it.
So, the tension was high in the carriage. Fiona chose to be next Lady Ava, Cass was next to Lord Ridgewood and Lady Ava, and Edgar and Lucian sat nearby, staring at Lord Ridgewood. They were begging the man to fuck up.
Lord Ridgewood, for his part, was sweating. He clearly understood his position currently, and Cass was glad for it. It would only be more awkward if the man didn’t get it.
Without words, he handed over a rolled up piece of parchment and Cass took it. He was careful to make sure he didn’t rock against either Fiona or Lord Ridgewood. Fiona was also conscious of it, and gave him space, while Lord Ridgewood was just cautious due to the situation he found himself in.
Cass looked over the contract that the Duke Vespertine had drafted, and let out a soft chuckle. There was a reason that the temple held so much power. The man was good. Manipulative. The clauses were scary, and the rules were direct. Lord Ridgewood was on the shittier end of this contract, but he’d already signed his name. He would take a significant loss if he broke the contract.
"You’ve already signed." Cass said quietly and Lord Ridgewood let out a shaky breath. He was just as dressed up as the rest of them, but without a hint of his family crest. Even Edgar and Lady Ava, who were on bad terms with the Vespertine family right now, wore their crests in some regard.
It was a bold statement, and Lord Ridgewood looked more pale than he already was naturally.
"I have. It doesn’t really matter if the contract isn’t favourable to me. I’m already in a terrible situation. At least if I succeed in this, I won’t be chased out of the city with pitchforks." Lord Ridgewood joked and Cass felt his lips curl up.
"I wouldn’t bank on that." Cass told him, and Lord Ridgewood stared at him, before his eyes widened. He had clearly just realised something, and Cass felt his lips curl up more.
"Wait, what are you doing here? Isn’t this the last week of the month?" He looked around the carriage, taking in everyone’s calm, if not serious expressions. "I didn’t think that was possible. Aren’t you sick during the last week?" Lord Ridgewood asked. Cass chuckled.
"I am still sick, but I had some help to make sure I could be here. Did Edgar’s father brief you on what’s going on?" Cass asked and Lord Ridgewood shook his head. He looked even more confused, and then worried.
"What is going on?" He asked and Cass gave his body a slow look over. Lord Ridgewood’s face warmed, but he was a knight and he was very quickly able to steel his expression.
"Let’s just say it’s a good thing you aren’t wearing your family crest tonight. Here." Cass said, reaching into his bag that Sam had given him. He pulled out a few things he’d shoved in from when he’d been in the dungeon. Some little pieces of jewelry that had his family crest on them. "Wear these. It will show your family whose side you’re on." Cass said as he dropped the pins and cufflinks into his open palm.
Lord Ridgewood stared at the sparkly, golden objects with crows etched onto them. Ominous. Something he’d probably avoided for a long, long time. Lord Ridgewood seemed conflicted for a moment before his hand closed around them. He looked up at Cass, his green gaze serious.
"Are you sure about this? Making an enemy of everyone outwardly isn’t a smart idea." He said. Cass felt his eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiled.
"I am aware of that. Why do you think I put up with it until now?" Cass asked and watched the man’s eyebrow twitch. He could have been annoyed, or upset he’d gotten a dig in. Instead of being outwardly upset, Lord Ridgewood dropped his head for a second. He seemed to work through some thoughts and feelings, before he slowly began to put on the ornaments. They suited his outfit quite well.
"Am I allowed to know at least some details so that I am not blindsided by the events of tonight?" Lord Ridgewood asked. It would have sounded pompous if there wasn’t a note of defeat to his voice. He was aware that he had done this to himself, and that it was a big thing for him to ask.
"I think," Fiona said quietly from beside Cass, "that you should watch your tone, Gideon." Hers was icy, and Lord Ridgewood flinched. His fingers paused from where they were working on one of the cufflinks without help.
"Fiona." Cass said carefully, warningly. "I’m not upset that he asked, and it’s not unreasonable. If he doesn’t know some details, he might be surprised by what happens and could put his foot in his mouth again." Cass said it cheerfully, but felt how Lord Ridgewood flinched. Lucian smirked.
"I would like to not put my foot in my mouth." Lord Ridgewood mumbled and Edgar sighed. Lord Ridgewood flinched at the mere sound of Edgar’s displeasure.
"You don’t have a good track record." Edgar said dryly and Cass glanced towards the other man. Edgar looked pissed. It was nighttime, so he didn’t have to wear a hat. He wore one as a fashion statement, and so it cast his face in a light shadow. That shadow gave him an ominous effect. For those who didn’t know he was a vampire, the fact that his eyes were glowing would be an even more eerie thing to notice. Would make someone do a double take.
Cass felt a little bit bad for Lord Ridgewood. He was the only human amongst them. The only true human. Both Fiona and Lady Ava were meddled with. Cass wouldn’t consider Lord Ridgewood’s powers as being ’meddled’ with in the same way. It felt like through hard work and perseverance, he’d gotten buff, strong, and some holy powers.
"Edgar." Cass warned, feeling like he was going to have to put everyone on a leash. Cass pulled a pen out of his bag and signed the contract. "Lord Ridgewood." Cass said, turning to the man as he tucked the contract and pen away into his little man purse. "I do think that there are some important notes for tonight that you should know." Cass glanced at the others. "This isn’t just for Lord Ridgewood." Cass clarified.
Everyone turned towards him.
"We are the hero party, but I think because we have been so calm and collected, relatively, and that most of us are from the upper class, they have all thought that they can get away with the treatment they have shown not just Fiona, but all of us. I will admit, whether I was aware of it or not, my lack of attendance has certainly had an impact on that as well." Edgar went to complain, but Cass gave him a look. "I am also aware that they probably booked these celebrations during times that I couldn’t attend. These are true facts. What is also true is that I am done with letting them continue to do so." Cass said. Fiona’s jaw was tight as she sat next to him.
"They’ve taken advantage of us." She muttered. Cass nodded.
"More specifically, you, Fiona. They’ve taken advantage of the fact that you’re a good person and they think that you have been controlling me, a bad person." Cass said it without accusation. There was no reason to at this point. He could tell how the others wanted to protest though. "So, we’re going to prove to them that they don’t have control anymore, we have always had control, and that they shouldn’t fuck with the heroes the gods chose." Cass’s voice dipped. Dark. Angry. He was sure his expression had shifted as well. "The King, Lord Ridgewood, has tried to marry off the Saintess, and is going to announce Fiona’s lineage tonight. All while expecting that I, Duke Vespertine, and Fiona are going to sit back and let it happen." Lord Ridgewood was shocked.
But not as shocked as Cass would have expected him to be. He had a hint of disappointment in his eyes as he glanced at Fiona, Lady Ava, and then the others.
"My father probably played a role in this." He said softly, and Cass didn’t doubt it in the slightest.
"He’s loyal to the royal family." Cass said in response and Lord Ridgewood’s jaw tightened, before he nodded.
"More loyal to the royal family than anything else." Lord Ridgewood agreed and Edgar sighed again. This time, it wasn’t the deep sigh of disappointment that had filled the carriage before. It was one of understanding, sympathy, and a longing that things could be different. Cass felt his own sigh leave his mouth.
"You’ll just have to make sure you choose the right side this time, Lord Ridgewood." Cass told him and the man’s shoulders slumped. He nodded, silent, and Cass grew quiet as well.
The rest of the carriage ride to the castle was tense.