The way to Protect the Female Lead’s Older Brother - Chapter 30

CASSIS POV

(Flashback continued)

Cassis still couldn’t believe it. 

He had just recovered from almost bleeding to death and was now resting on the lap of an Agriche. 

He wanted to curse at himself for forgetting how to breathe properly. He felt something trickle down his nose and begged that the snot or blood did not make him look uglier than he possibly was already. 

Let’s give up the act, Cassis sighed. He wouldn’t bear the mortification if she found out that he was awake and slightly enjoying himself.

He almost opened his eyes and revealed himself when she suddenly began to touch his hair. 

His bangs were lifted off his forehead and thin, light fingers began to stroke his scalp. Her stymied giggle made his heart race.

Cassis felt that he had lost his chance. He had never wished or committed foul play for this situation to occur. He had dug his grave and now had to suffer whatever consequence that entailed.

For the first time since he was imprisoned within Agriche territory, he was the most despicable person in the room.

“I don’t want to die,” Roxana whispered.

He didn’t understand the context. Cassis didn’t know if Lant Agriche could love a human being, but Roxana seemed well cared for and respected as befitted of a noble lady. He hadn’t met anyone who seemed to want to harm her.

No, he was wrong. 

He remembered the blood on her dress when she visited him a week ago, and her frenzied behaviour when she said she would be absent for a while.

Roxana’s hand continued to dig into his hair. Her touch soothed him. He was very tired. If she weren’t an Agriche and he wasn’t a Pedelian, he would rest. The fire from the torchlight crackled as both of them stayed quiet for the next few minutes. 

She flicked his nose.

Cassis’s eyebrow twitched involuntarily. 

“You don’t smell,” she said, curious. 

That was good. He was glad he didn’t seem too indecent in front of her. 

He felt her stare at his face. It took an absurd amount of willpower to stay still. He wasn’t good at lying or pretending to be weak. Those were traits he was taught to detest since he was a child.

He suppressed the urge to jump away from her and the urge to bury his face in her lap. His ears began to grow hot. Hopefully, she hadn’t noticed. His hair had grown a bit long since he had been kidnapped.

Dear God, he hoped she didn’t notice him turning red. Roxana was a female. He could be engaged to a lady like her. It would mortify him if a girl around his age knew how embarrassed he was now. 

He prayed for her to keep her distance, yet felt he lost an opportunity when she didn’t lean in to breathe in his scent or stroke his hair more roughly. 

“Cassis,” she said.

This trial was worse than the prerequisite for his coming of age ceremony. He had been hazed by his men and forced to strip and swim in the freezing Demon Sea. It had taken hours to burn the leeches off his flesh and days before the pink sucking wounds vanished.

Dealing with a girl his age was worse than a hundred leeches.

He hoped time would pass more quickly. 

END FLASHBACK

Roxana withdrew her hand and rested it on the bedside. “I can’t make any excuses for what my father did to you,” she said.

Cassis heard the smile in her voice. He had an uneasy suspicion that she knew he was awake.

“It won’t happen again,” Roxana said. “Not that you’re mine, no one else can touch you. Not even Father. Lant Agriche will not go back on his word.”

Her voice wavered. “I will definitely get you out of here,” she said quietly. It didn’t sound like she was lying.

Cassis exhaled through his mouth. He decided to worry about the future later. For now, he would enjoy the present moment.