Chapter 233: Come on, help a hero out
Cass felt like this move by the Head Priest was unprecedented. He knew it. Especially as he glanced back at the crowd, the first time he had done so since he had entered the main hall of the temple and found shocked expressions greet his gaze.
Cass then turned back to look at the Head Priest before joining him at his side. The Head Priest wrapped his arm around Cass’ shoulders in a supposedly brotherly, or fatherly hold. Cass felt his spine stiffen at the action.
He knew it was unacceptable. Lord Blackburn had a father, and while he was banned from the family, that didn’t make him dead.
"This isn’t appropriate." Cass whispered quietly and the Head Priest seemed a little shocked that Cass would speak. He didn’t let it show in his calm expression, but his grip tightened slightly on his shoulder.
"This is inappropriate?" He asked quietly and Cass swallowed.
"I still have a father." Cass told him and the Head Priest did give Cass a strange look, before he began going on a much louder speech about unity and how great it was to have a Blackburn in the temple once more. Cass kind of hoped that the gods would strike him down right now, they already had a replacement ready in Lady Ava, and she was more powerful.
Cass waited a few beats, hoping something would happen, but when nothing did, he just sighed softly under his breath. Another disappointment from the gods. Typical.
Eventually, when Cass didn’t react like the Head Priest wanted him to, he let him go. Cass turned to leave the few steps that he’d had to climb when his foot caught on the carpet and his eyes widened as he started to fall.
It wasn’t Lucian, Vespertine, or Lord Ridgewood who caught him. It was Fiona.
She rushed over, her strength magnified from being chosen as the hero and caught him, wrapping him up in her arms much to the shocked gasps of everyone else around them. Fiona’s expression only held deep concern and she looked up at the Head Priest.
"Cassian is quite flustered. May we be excused?" She asked. It was bold. Only someone who had never grown up around this kind of ceremony would ask such a thing. Vespertine and Lady Ava were frozen, while Lord Ridgewood was glaring daggers at Cass. It wasn’t his fucking fault that he tripped over the carpet.