Cassian stirred beneath him, a soft groan escaping his throat as the haze of alcohol
began to wear off. His eyes fluttered open slowly, unfocused, then blinked a few times as if trying to make sense of the world, and the person above him.
Gab froze, still hovering close, lips parted, eyes wide in panic.
Cassian's brow furrowed. "...Gab?" His voice was rough, sleep-heavy, confused.
Gab quickly pulled back, stumbling a step away from the bed. "I—I'm sorry. You were drunk. I thought you were asleep. I didn't mean to—"
Cassian slowly pushed himself upright, the blanket falling from his chest. He winced,
holding his head. "What… happened?"
Gab couldn't meet his gaze. "You passed out. I helped you to bed. That's all."
But the heat still lingered on both their lips. The tension was too heavy to ignore.
Cassian's eyes narrowed slightly, his memory catching up in fragments.
"I… I remember someone kissing me."
Silence.
Gab swallowed hard. "It was me."
The air turned still.
Cassian looked away for a moment, processing, his jaw tight. "Why?"
Gab's voice trembled as he answered. "Because I've wanted to for a long time. And I knew you'd never let me, not when you're sober."
Cassian looked at him then, really looked at him---his usually unreadable eyes now
stormy with emotion. "You took advantage of the moment."
"I know," Gab said quietly, shame settling in his chest like a stone. "I know. And I'm
sorry. I'll leave—" Gab ran outside the door, tears welling in his eyes, his
chest tightening with every step as if trying to escape the pain.
Cassian remained seated, frozen in place. The silence pressed heavily around him as he tried to make sense of what just happened, his heart aching with regret and
confusion.
---
While Craige and his team were preparing to head north,
an undeniable tension filled the air between Cassian and Gab.
Clara leaned closer to Arabelle, whispering, "What happened to them? Did they fight
last night?"
Her gaze flickered toward Gab, who was unusually distant from Cassian.
Arabelle gave a knowing smile. "Just let them be. It seems someone finally made a move."
"Whoaaa… I didn't know they were—you know," Clara chuckled softly, surprised.
"My brother has no idea, but Gab has liked him for a long time," Arabelle confessed with a sigh. "I really hope they find love in each other."
"Yeah… I hope so too," Clara said, her eyes lingering on Gab with quiet concern.
Cassian wanted to speak to Gab. The words were stuck in his throat, like a knot he
couldn't untangle.
So instead, he turned to Craige.
"Craige…can I talk to you for a moment?" Cassian asked, his voice low but tense.
Craige simply nodded, understanding more than he let on.
To lightennthe mood, Luren suddenly exclaimed, "Why don't we swim at the waterfall before heading back north? We can bring the kids too!"
Codie and Faye, five and six years old, came running excitedly at the sound of "swim."
Faye, Arabelle's daughter, was already tugging at her mother's hand.
"I like that idea! It's been forever since we got to swim in the lake," Arabelle said, her face brightening.
After a bit of preparation, they all boarded the carriage headed to the waterfalls.
It was just a short ride from the manor, and they took a different route this time, one
that didn't pass through the cave.
Craige, Cassian, Keith, and Matthew rode on horseback.
Craige and Cassian, deep in quiet conversation, lingered behind the group, their horses trotting side by side at a slower pace.
"Uhm… how did you know you liked a man?" Cassian asked hesitantly, his voice nearly
drowned by the soft rhythm of hooves against the forest trail.
He rode beside Craige, the two of them slightly behind of the group. The golden light
of morning filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow on the path ahead. A breeze stirred the leaves, carrying with it the scent of pine and distant water.
Craige glanced at him, sensing the tension behind the question. "Well… I didn't, not
at first," he said truthfully. "I was with women before I met Luren. I never questioned myself… until he came along. I think Luren is the only man I've ever truly liked."
Cassian lowered his gaze, gripping the reins a little tighter. Craige noticed.
"Did something happen between you and Gab?" he asked gently, already suspecting the answer. He knew Gab's feelings, Arabelle had been dropping hints since then.
"Yeah…" Cassian ran a hand through his hair, flustered. "He kissed me." He let out a
sharp breath, shaking his head at the memory. "I don't know how we can ever go
back to the way things were."
Craige studied him quietly. "Did it feel repulsive? Do you hate that Gab kissed you?"
Cassian went still.
Did he hate it?
No… The truth was, his body had responded before his mind could even make sense of it.
"I—don't know."
Craige's tone turned gentle but firm. "Do you want to lose Gab? I can bring him to the
North if you don't want him near you anymore."
"What? No!" Cassian blurted out. "Gab stays by my side—"
He froze, realizing what he'd just admitted.
Craige smirked, lifting a brow. "Then maybe you should kiss him again. You'll find your answer."
Cassian turned to him, half-expecting a laugh. But Craige was serious. And Cassian, he fell into silence, his heart loud in his chest.
The carriage came to a slow stop.
Outside, the late afternoon sun spilled golden light over a breathtaking landscape. Mist danced in the air as a tall waterfall poured gracefully into a crystal-blue
lake, the sound of water mingled with the soft breeze. Wildflowers painted the green fields in bursts of violet, yellow, and pink, and the breeze carried the scent of pine and fresh earth.
"Wow! I didn't know the waterfall led to this lake!" Clara gasped in delight, her eyes
wide as she stepped out of the carriage.
Maids and knights quickly began setting up tables and laying out food, while the children
ran toward the water, their squeals echoing joyfully through the valley. Gab, Clara, and Arabelle watching the kids playfully playing at the lake's edge, Luren not far behind, smiling as he kicked off his shoes.
Under the shade of a large tree, the four men sat down on a carved wooden bench. Craige
uncorked a bottle of wine, pouring drinks as they watched the scene unfold before them.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting dappled light over their relaxed
faces. The moment was peaceful, almost magical away from the political tension,
as if nature itself was offering Cassian the space to understand what his heart had been trying to tell him.