Chapter 96: A knight’s knowing gaze
"Uh, Lord Ridgewood? Thank you for your help, but you don’t have to-" Cass felt like his hands were shaking, his eyes were shaking, he was just in shock. Draken calling him Cass? Expected. The man was an asshole. Vespertine calling him Cass? Not...fully expected, but also somewhat predictable. Even the girls calling him Cass he could see.
Lord Ridgewood? Never expected. Quite alarming, really. All the hair on Cass’ arms was standing on end, and Lord Ridgewood didn’t seem to notice. Or if he did, he didn’t seem to care.
"It is no trouble. I was surprised when you yelled and started falling towards me, but from your actions I could tell it wasn’t intentional. Why didn’t you use magic to stop yourself?" Lord Ridgewood asked and Cass had nothing to defend himself.
The look that Lord Ridgewood gave him as well, with those green eyes of his, caught Cass by surprise as well. It was like he was trying to see inside of him, gauge what was going on. Cass swallowed, his face flushing as he exhaled.
He was still flustered from falling, and from the reason why he fell. Lord Ridgewood hadn’t looked down at the books in his hands yet, or he was sure he would have made a comment about that as well. Anyone in a romance novel would.
"I...I really don’t have any excuse. I think I was just so surprised that I was even falling it didn’t...I just braced for impact." Cass muttered, embarrassed. Lord Ridgewood stared at him, before he gave a jerk of his head in a nod.
"Where are your guards? Or your servant? You have been keeping two by your side recently. One of them should be by your side by now." Cass sighed, even more embarrassed as he kept needling into the parts that Cass had thought were fine, but given the situation, clearly weren’t.
"I...gave them other duties as I checked out the library on my own. I thought I would be fine. I guess I underestimated myself since it’s near my monthly break." Cass exhaled slowly, shaking his head and giving Lord Ridgewood a bitter smile. "I must truly thank you. If I had injured myself...I do not know how long it would have taken me to heal." Lord Ridgewood seemed to stiffen at his words before his eyebrows pressed together lightly.
"Again, I am just grateful that you appear fine, Cass. There is no need to thank me. You did make me feel like a good person, though, as I was able to catch you just in time. Speaking of injuries, how are yours healing?" Lord Ridgewood asked, but Cass was still reeling from being called by his name again.
It was alarming, and his heart wasn’t able to handle it. Being called Cass in this body? It felt like it was taking months off of his life.
Flustered, Cass let out a shaky breath.