"Lureeen!" Craige shouted, grabbing Luren just in time before Cassian's blade could strike. He pulled him close, shielding him with his own body. They both tumbled to the
ground, dust and tension rising with them. As they fell, Luren's necklace swung
loose from his neck, Cassian's sword caught it mid-air, slicing the chain. The pendant dropped with a metallic clang, glinting briefly before disappearing into the dirt.
"Stop this madness this instant!" Castelo's commanding voice cut through the chaos like thunder. "Why are you two acting like reckless teenage boys?!"
"Everyone, back to your duties!" Gab called out firmly as he arrived, his voice calm but
filled with authority after hearing the commotion from afar.
The crowd hesitated, murmurs echoing, but one by one they obeyed, dispersing and
returning to their tasks, casting worried glances over their shoulders.
Craige turned to Luren, helping him to his feet. "Are you alright?" he asked, voice low and concerned, his grip still firm on Luren's arm.
"We're meeting in Cassian's office later," Castelo said coldly, his gaze sharp as he
looked each of them in the eye. "Go clean yourselves up. I expect you to look
presentable when you come down."
None dared to argue. They silently followed the former duke, retreating to their rooms
with heavy steps and heavier thoughts.
Castelo stayed behind, letting out a long, tired sigh as he watched them disappear into
the manor. As he turned to leave, something caught his eye, a glint of light from the ground.
He frowned, kneeling down slowly. When he picked up the object, his eyes widened.
"What is this doing here…?" he whispered, staring at the broken necklace now resting in
his palm. His grip tightened slightly, a flicker of recognition flashing across his face.
***
"Why did you run into a sword fight? It's dangerous!" Craige scolded, his voice sharp
with worry as he stood in the bathroom, blood dripping from a cut on his arm.
He began removing his torn, bloodstained shirt and pants, wincing slightly as the fabric
grazed his wounds.
"If I didn't, you wouldn't have stopped until one of you was gravely injured," Luren
retorted, his voice trembling with frustration and concern as he gently washed the blood from Craige's arm. His fingers were careful, but his eyes couldn't hide the fear that still lingered.
There was a brief silence between them, heavy with unspoken tension.
Luren stood up, his expression tightening. "I'll go get the medicine," he said quietly,
turning away before Craige could see the tears threatening to form.
Craige watched him go, the anger in his chest replaced with guilt. He turned toward
the shower. "I'll take a shower first," he muttered, more to himself, and closed the door behind him, the sound echoing softly in the quiet room.
Meanwhile
Gab was tending to Cassian's wounds in silence. The air was heavy, filled only by the
sound of water dripping from a cloth and the occasional hiss of pain from Cassian.
"Why did you fight Duke Craige?" Gab finally asked, his tone careful as he dabbed gently at a deep gash on Cassian's arm.
"You know we have a score to settle," Cassian muttered, avoiding Gab's eyes.
Gab sighed quietly. "I still think it was foolish. Risking your life like that..."
Cassian scoffed, his voice laced with bitterness. "I can't believe he chose a man
over a woman."
Gab's hands paused for a moment. His heart tightened. He lowered his gaze, masking the
flicker of pain in his eyes. "What's wrong with being with a man?" he asked, trying to sound casual, fishing, hoping for something, anything.
Cassian whipped his head toward him, his glare sharp. "The hell, Gabrielle! Are
you okay with being a man?"
Gab didn't answer. He couldn't. His throat tightened as years of silence pressed heavy on his chest. If only Cassian knew... if only he could see how long Gab had loved
him, from the shadows, from the background, from behind every stitched wound and loyal gesture.
But he didn't. And Gab was certain that if Cassian ever found out… he would be
disgusted.
So he said nothing. Just pressed the cloth harder against the wound, pretending it didn't hurt more than the bleeding did.
***
Luren waited for Craige to come out of the shower. His eyes instinctively drifted
toward the door the moment it opened, and there he was. Craige stood there, water still glistening on his skin, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist. He looked sinfully attractive, and Luren quickly shook his head, snapping out of the inappropriate thought.
What the hell am I thinking right now? he scolded himself silently, cheeks already
flushing.
Craige noticed. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips when he saw the redness on Luren's face and how he avoided eye contact.
"Sit here," Luren said briskly, trying to regain composure as he opened the medicine bag he had requested from the maid.
The room fell into a tense silence, broken only by the soft sounds of Luren tending to
Craige's wounds. His touch was gentle but firm, focused… yet his heart raced faster than it should.
"I'm sorry, baby," Craige finally spoke, his voice low and sincere. "But please… don't do
that again. Just shout at me, I'll stop. Immediately."
Luren paused, then nodded slowly. "I'm sorry too," he murmured, wrapping his arms
around Craige in a soft embrace.
Craige gently lifted Luren's face, their eyes locking. Then he leaned in and pressed a
tender kiss to his lips.
Luren closed his eyes, surrendering, deepening the kiss as he looped his arms around Craige's neck. Their bodies leaned closer, breath mingling between kisses.
"We need to meet Sir Castelo… at his office," Luren mumbled between their heated exchange, voice slightly breathless.
"Just one more minute," Craige whispered back, biting lightly on Luren's lower lip before
pulling him back into another kiss. They were both panting softly when it finally broke.
"Go wear your clothes," Luren said, patting Craige's chest to stop him from going in for
another round.
Craige chuckled, but obeyed, his eyes still burning with affection.