Chapter 282: What colour collar should he wear?

Words : 1909 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Chapter 282: What colour collar should he wear? Edgar looked like he was a man caught between a rock and a hard place. He was sweating, pale, and clearly was scrambling to come up with something to say. Not quite an excuse, but a denial of some kind. "Cassian, I like you. I don’t like-" Edgar stared at Cass, and the words caught in his throat. Cass was looking not at him, but through him. Whatever bullshit he was about to spew, Cass wasn’t going to take. Not that Edgar had kissed Cass as a distraction from the interaction he’d had with Lord Ridgewood; Cass valued himself more than that. But he was sure that Edgar had been rather excited that Cass had decided on kissing him instead of asking for more details. It was clear that Edgar did not want to talk about this, but Cass wasn’t going to drop it. Not when there was so much juice to this topic. That, and it would impact any plans he made for the future. He needed to know if he was going to have to include Lord Ridgewood into those plans, or not. Plus, it wasn’t as if this era didn’t allow for poly relationships. That was the norm. It was actually strange if someone only married one person, even if homosexual relationships were frowned upon. Cass wasn’t about to tell Edgar that he had to fucking choose. Cass wasn’t a monster like that. "Edgar, you and Lucian are asking me to like at the bare minimum, both of you two together. I’m not sure if that is what you two are aiming for since I refuse to ask, but that’s my assumption." Edgar’s pale face and big, blue eyes stared at him as Cass spoke, and Lucian shifted under him. "You can’t tell me that if you like two people it’s strange. Poly relationships are normal here. Hell, we’re all in one right now. They aren’t where I used to live and those memories are still rather fresh in my mind so this is new to me, but it shouldn’t be new to you." Cass was being careful dancing around his own personal memories. He had to include them, since he wanted to cover his bases Edgar looked like he had licked a lemon, even as Cass was trying to get gentle with his words. Well, as gentle as Cass could be. "I can’t, Cass. He tried to kill you. He tried to have my father kill you." Edgar told him softly, panic in his voice. Honestly, how could Cass hold that against him when he was being concerned about Cass? He couldn’t, but that didn’t mean that Cass thought he should hide from his own feelings. Not when the man looked like he was about to cry. Cass sighed. "And so have many other people, including my own flesh and blood. At this point, who hasn’t tried to kill me?" Cass said mildly, and Edgar looked disgusted at the words coming out of Cass’ mouth. "That’s not normal." Edgar fought back, and Lucian let out a deep sigh from behind Cass. His hands adjusted on Cass’ waist, pulling him closer to Lucian’s broad chest. Cass flushed at the way their bodies aligned, but it was clear that Lucian either didn’t notice, or didn’t care. He was just adjusting Cass for comfort reasons.. "While we let our young struggle, and accept the stronger, we never, ever attempt to kill our young, Cass. My mother is a prime example of that. I wasn’t killed off because I had fucked up wings as a hatchling." Lucian’s words were soft. "But Edgar, I agree with Cass on this. You humans push this way of life on others, and yet you seem to be having a hard time grasping this concept. Did you never think you would participate so fully in it?" Lucian asked. Edgar stared at them, flicking his eyes between Cass and Lucian before he grumbled, covering his face with his hands. His shoulders hunched in on himself, and for the first time Cass thought that the man was small. He looked like a damn baby, even with Cass’ legs in his lap. "I can’t like him anymore. I feel like my heart was ripped out of my chest over his betrayal." Edgar’s words were muffled by his hands, but that didn’t hide the weight they held. Edgar sounded like the words hurt coming out of his mouth. Like he was tearing out parts of himself to even say them. Cass felt his heart stir at the pain there. "Edgar-" Cass started, but Edgar interrupted him. It wasn’t intentional on his part, he just continued speaking and Cass shut up. "He didn’t even talk to me about it. Didn’t say a damn thing. Maybe I should have noticed, should have realised that he went away to speak with the Priests away from us. I just didn’t consider it because...he’s Gideon. He’d never done that before. Ever." The sound of his gulp, his swallow was audible. When he raised his face out of his hands, his handsome face was twisted with so much pain that Cass let out a shaky exhale just seeing it. "I can’t forgive him for what he did. I don’t know if I ever could. No, I shouldn’t forgive him, just for your sake. I can’t trust him around you. What if he tries to do this again?" Edgar’s words were a desperate plea, filled with so much emotion that Cass wondered how the man was able to contain it all. Dear lord, the gods needed to give that man a damn break. Too bad Cass wasn’t a god. "Then who better to keep an eye on him than the man who has restrained himself from pursuing him this whole time?" Edgar looked upset even hearing the words from Cass’ mouth. Like he thought that Cass wasn’t listening to him, wasn’t hearing him. Cass absolutely was, which was why he said his next words, his voice dropping to a softer tone. "Edgar, you can’t tell me you wouldn’t get some kind of pleasure from making him bark like a dog, or have him on a leash, hmm?" Cass suggested, taking a sip of his tea. Edgar and Lucian turned to look at Cass, both men’s lips twitching slightly. "Is that...is that something you’re into, Cass?" Edgar asked, seeming to choke on the words. Cass gave a shrug. "My opinion doesn’t matter. I was asking you, Edgar? Besides, I can tell it’s something Lord Ridgewood is into." Cass said with a sniff. Never, ever, was he going to tell them how he got that information. It was something that Cass had shoved to the back of his mind. A Chapter when Lord Ridgewood had been under a spell and Fiona had been alone with him. It wasn’t surprising to him that a knight liked to follow orders. They just needed to change who held the leash at the end of the day, and Edgar was...a good option. A devious option, but a good one. Maybe Cass would need to take over every once in a while to get the fear of the gods into him, but Cass was beginning to trust Edgar with these kinds of tasks. Edgar also had much more experience in this area than Cass did. Threats? Cass could do threats. Sexual threats? Eh, Cass could try? "Are we speaking about a metaphorical leash, or a real one, sweetness?" Lucian asked softly, his hands flexing on Cass’ waist. Cass tilted his head back slightly to glance at Lucian’s face. "I don’t know. It’s whatever Edgar decides. I’m trying not to think too hard about Lord Ridgewood in a collar." Lucian’s eyes widened, before they narrowed suspiciously. "Do not tell me you find that man attractive." Lucian growled and Cass blinked, before his face warmed. Edgar gasped. "Wait, you think Gideon is handsome, Cass?" Edgar asked and Cass groaned. "Anyone can be attractive. That doesn’t mean that I have to act on it." Cass muttered. "I’ve found plenty of people attractive and haven’t done a damn thing with them." Cass took a sip of the teacup in his hand, really not wanting to continue this conversation. Lucian growled, causing Cass’ back to rumble with the force of it. "I take back any thoughts I had about keeping around. He’s a damn threat." Lucian grumbled. Cass snorted. "Who was just spouting on about how ’humans don’t practise what they preach’? Are you going to back down so quickly?" Cass teased, not really meaning his words. Edgar was staring at the two of them before his hands slid to Cass’ ankles and he gave them a squeeze. "Cass...I kind of agree with Lucian about this. I know you aren’t the kind of man to act on your thoughts and feelings. I feel Lucian and I are rather intimately aware of that. You have wonderful self restraint but..." Edgar looked a little uncomfortable. "If it was just...a me issue, I think I could manage Gideon like you’re suggesting. But, if you like him even mildly after what he did to you..." Edgar closed his eyes, shaking his head as he sighed. "I don’t want him around you." Edgar said softly. "Not because I don’t have faith in Lucy and I, but..." Edgar made a face. It took Cass a moment to decipher it. What was that expression? Upset? Anger? He couldn’t quite tell, but it was something along those lines. "Gideon’s a regular human." Lucian said with a sigh. "He’s basic, and people like basic." Cass was a little startled that the two of them would say that. Gideon, basic? The man was a secret holy knight? How was that basic? "What do you mean by that?" Cass asked, curious about where they were taking this. Edgar looked upset. "He has a normal life span, you don’t have to give up anything to be with him-" "-Besides your dignity." Lucian muttered, interrupting Edgar. Edgar gave him a glare. "Cass wouldn’t give up his dignity. It would be a damn blessing for Gideon. What I mean Cass, is that you could just be...normal. You don’t have to deal with...us." Edgar muttered. Cass thought about what they were saying, and how they were both in agreement over it. Was this...a monster-esque insecurity? Because Gideon was just a basic bitch? Cass couldn’t help it as he laughed. Edgar waved a hand, the saucer flying out of his hand to land on the table so that he didn’t spill tea over himself. He couldn’t believe it. The two handsome, pretty men who were wrapping themselves around him like damn giant snakes were worried that he would want someone basic? Even distantly? Sure, Cass was basically skipped the vanilla flavour and had gone straight for something like...bubblegum, but fuck. The words slipped out before he could stop himself. "What the fuck? You guys are worried about him? That’s so cute." Cass continued laughing while the men froze, staring at him. "Us? Cute?" Lucian muttered. "How?" He asked, and Cass just shook his head, still laughing. He had just been trying to make whatever choice Edgar made easier for him, and had somehow stumbled into a complete miscommunication. One that Cass kind of didn’t want to fix if they were being this dumb about it?

Chapter 282: What colour collar should he wear?

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