Chapter 135: You aren’t part of my team

Words : 1822 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 135: You aren’t part of my team Cass tried to stay awake. He really did. But you have to understand. Draken was really comfortable. Really comfortable. He had built in cushions. It was like taking a ride on the best seat, chair, whatever you wanted to call it, in his life. Cass had never experienced it before. So he couldn’t help but fall asleep. Anyone would! He didn’t need to justify it to anyone! He was healing, he was sick, he had used magic for the first time in a long time, and it was a long walk back to the mansion from the clearing that Draken had chosen! Byron was nearby! He knew he wasn’t alone, unconscious with a dragon. He wasn’t an idiot. It was two dragons, and he had just learned that the dragon carrying him probably wouldn’t hurt the dragon who would interrupt him if Draken got up to anything nefarious. So yeah, Cass fell asleep. He only woke up when Draken started to walk on gravel and things shifted from the soft earth he had been walking on before. Draken chuckled. "You could have slept more. You look exhausted. Sam is going to have my head for making you so tired, and no doubt he is going to scold Byron for allowing me to let you get so tired." Cass waved his hand dismissively at his words. He yawned, covering his mouth with his other hand like a gentleman. "He wouldn’t. Sam wouldn’t jump to conclusions like that." Cass defended Sam, and Draken chuckled. He was smiling as they made their way towards the main doors. Draken had left through the main doors and had just walked into the forest next to them on the left, and that was apparently where they had emerged from. Sir Forsythe was waiting at the doors, chatting with the guards posted there and straightened up when he noticed that a figure was approaching. Cass turned his head when he heard the crunching of another set of footsteps behind them and found it was Byron, stepping out of the forest as well. "Your people are keeping a watch on me." Draken said and Cass, still a little woozy and loose from his sleep, snorted. "Can you blame them? They don’t like the way any of you treat me here." Draken’s footsteps stuttered before he caught himself. Cass froze, realising he’d fucked up. Shit. He shouldn’t have said that while he was in Draken’s arms. "I see." Draken murmured, the smile fading from his face. "I have a lot of work to do." He muttered, very quietly. Cass doubted that he thought that Cass could hear him, but he could. Cass had asked him, but it was still incredible to him that Draken was this determined to be in his good books. After all of the shit he had probably done to Lord Blackburn when the book’s narrator had her back turned. He very much had the old school mentality of bullying or poking fun at the people he cared about, if that was the case. Cass couldn’t remember what he’d been like before the book began. He was sure that Lady Fiona mentioned it in the book, but Cass, for some reason, couldn’t recall it. Sir Forsythe waved to the men who were standing by the doors before he began a light jog towards Cass and Draken. "My Lord, Draken, Lord Vespertine came by and wishes to speak with you if you have a moment. He’s waiting in one of the waiting rooms on the lower levels, not wanting to intrude on your personal space without you there." Cass snorted, unable to help himself. "Ah. I see." Cass said, and Sir Forsythe’s jaw tightened. "Shall I send him away? You do look like you could use a rest after your lesson. It is an easy excuse." Sir Forsythe told him and Draken’s frame shook, but he remained silent. Cass pondered it for a moment, but he was too curious about how the man was doing after the revelations of yesterday to want to ignore this. So what if he had some hang ups about Vespertine? The man wasn’t foolish enough to harm him in a waiting room in their own mansion where everyone is watching. Plus, what he was doing was an act of peace. Vespertine had done it a few times in the book. Whenever he’d get in an argument with Lady Fiona he’d- Huh. He couldn’t remember what happened after that. That was strange. He knew that he’d read it before, but why couldn’t he recall what he’d done when it came to Lady Fiona? In fairness, Cass hadn’t needed to rely on the book’s information for a while now, since he’d been indisposed for a week, but there was no way he had forgotten important parts of the book. He couldn’t. He shouldn’t be able to, not after all of the shit he’d had to go through to get that deal. If those damn fuckers had stiffed him again, Cass was going to go in guns blazing. He for sure needed to find a demon shrine before he confronted the ’gods’ again. He was sure that sketchy as fuck store would know where one was. He had time. He should go into town again. The more information he had, the more he could yell at the ’gods’. Cass wasn’t above admitting it was a kind of therapy for him. A ’you’re not my real dad’ kind of situation. So what? "No. Let’s see Vespertine. I’m sure he has a lot he wants to ask me." Cass said, a little smirk touching his lips. "Sir Forsythe, no, Byron?" Cass turned his head slightly, and Byron raced to catch up, closing the distance between them quickly when he heard his name. "Yes, my Lord?" "Be a dear and go fetch Sam? Ask him to make some tea, the stuff I usually like, and bring it downstairs. Along with a bottle of the wine that was brought over yesterday." Byron’s expression shifted, showing his displeasure at the mention of the wine but he nodded. He didn’t voice his opinions, and that made Cass smile. "Of course, my Lord." He raced off, his orders heard and understood. Sir Forsythe remained, his own expression tight. "I will not question you." He said when Cass stared at him a little longer than normal. Cass chuckled. "But you want to." Cass told him. Cass then tapped on Draken’s chest. "Put me down. I need to walk into the mansion on my own." Cass ordered and Draken rumbled. "I don’t want to." Draken said moodily, but Cass found the man walking over a patch of grass near the front doors, his long legs covering the distance quickly. Begrudgingly, he set Cass down, and waited as Cass used his shoulders to keep himself upright. Cass’ legs shook like a newborn deer’s, but neither of the men with him said anything. "I should have told Byron to tell Sam to bring something to eat." Cass muttered, taking in the state of his limbs. Sir Forsythe grunted. "Knowing Sam, he probably has a tray already made and is bringing it down, my Lord." He told him. Draken chuckled. Cass slid his gaze towards the other man, his lips curled up warmly. "If Sam didn’t hate my guts, I think he and I would get along decently." Draken told Cass warmly. His words made Cass pause. Cass didn’t think it was possible for Sam to hate any- No. He definitely had strong feelings about Lady Ava, that was sure, and Vespertine as well. Draken? Cass was pretty sure Sam had strong feelings about him, but he kept them to himself. Maybe? Cass would have to do a check in. "Hmm. I’m unsure if that’s true." Cass muttered. "He probably doesn’t like you though." Cass agreed and Draken let out a bark of laughter as Cass’ legs finally stabilized under him and he was able to take a step. Then another. They didn’t make fun of him as he slowly walked towards the front doors, both men hovering around him. "You look pale, my Lord. Please, use my arm for support." Sir Forsythe said, offering his arm. Draken growled. "Back off, knight. I’m his husband." Draken growled. Loud enough that the guards who had big ears nearby heard and both looked stunned. "We are not husbands. We are married to the same woman. That is not at all equivalent." Cass pointed out. "That, and Sir Forsythe has no impure intentions towards me." Cass gave Draken a look that told him that he knew Draken did. Draken flushed, before he stepped back, frustrated. "Damn it. Stupid fucking human laws." Draken muttered quietly again. Cass kept his face neutral as he turned towards Sir Forsythe. The guards at the front doors scrambled and opened the doors for them so that they were able to just walk through. Cass nodded to them, surprising them as he gave them a slight nod of thanks. "Which room is he in?" Cass asked and Sir Forsythe led him towards the waiting room. He even knocked for him, and Vespertine’s voice, tired and worn, called from inside. "Lord Cassian? Is that you? Come on in." Cass was about to have Sir Forsythe open the door before he paused. He was so used to Draken being here that he forgot. "You can’t come in with me." Cass turned, speaking to the dragon hovering behind him. Draken frowned. "Why not?" He demanded and Cass was surprised the man even asked. "As much as Vespertine and I are not on good terms, this is an equal playing field. He’s playing nice. I don’t need a guard, and you are also not under my employ. Our lesson is done, you should go." Draken’s expression darkened. "Having one more person around won’t hurt." He protested, and Cass’ jaw hardened. "Whether he knows who you are or not, at least let him have the illusion of not being overheard, Draken. Back off. Go back to your rooms. I have Sir Forsythe, who you have personally vetted, and Byron, who you trained. You cannot tell me you don’t have your fingers in my pie at this point." Draken looked a little ill that Cass had pointed it out so plainly. Damn it. He was pulling that beaten puppy look again. "I-I can-" "Draken. Go back to your rooms." Cass reinforced. Why was Draken making him feel like an asshole? He was the one who was trying to listen in on a conversation between him and Vespertine! Dropping his head, his proverbial tail between his legs, Draken gave Cass a few mournful, over the shoulder looks as he slowly made his way back down the hallway. As if he hoped Cass would change his mind. Cass shook his head, and Draken’s tail dragged even more.

Chapter 135: You aren’t part of my team

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