A Dragon's Treasure

11. Goodbye Whitlock Manor

CASSIAN

Crossing his arms, Cassian leaned against the car and watched Luke from afar as Luke attempted to coax Harry into giving back his luggage. Harry figured out that Cassian and Luke were leaving the Whitlock estate this morning. In protest, Harry teamed up with the pixies to create a distraction in the kitchen. The wicked little things decided to practice juggling for the first time ever with Astrid's favorite teacups. The chaos gave Harry plenty of time to snatch up Luke's luggage.

Standing on the carport with the rest of them, Harry held the grey suitcase to his chest for dear life, making the most pitiful sobbing sounds. At his full height, Luke barely scraped the top of Harry's elbow.

"We'll be back before you know it!" Luke insisted, trying to be all smiles. He opened his arms to accept the bags. "I'll even bring you back a souvenir. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Harry groaned and shook his head even faster.

Cassian quietly laughed to himself. He could honestly watch this all day. Walking out of the house, still pink in the face, Astrid huffed again. This morning has aged the gnome woman an extra hundred years.

Keys in hand, she muttered, "Blasted things. Think they own the place. What would they have done if they broke one? Impossible. Iris bought those for me one summer in Italy. How do you replace that?" She asked the question and Cassian just happened to be the one standing there. Cassian just shrugged.

Things had been... different between Cassian and Astrid. She had stopped hiding when he approached and they had pleasant conversations about the house, daily plans, but usually they existed in comfortable silence together.

Opening the door for her, Cassian smiled politely and helped her inside the black Bentley with white and tan leather seats. The pedals had been modified with pedal extenders, so Astrid could drive as she pleased. Luke insisted they could call a car to take them, but Astrid refused. A little miffed even, she guilted Luke into letting her come. She said, "What's the point of having family if you can't take them to the airport? You will let me take you there for my nerves, won't you? Or will you have me crumble from worry?"

Luke folded as well as Astrid kept up with the laundry.

"Thank you," she said and settled into the cushion that allowed her to see over the steering wheel.

Cassian held onto the door. "Astrid..."

"Hmm?" She hummed, rummaging around, and muttering about sunglasses. A nervous feeling wormed inside of Cassian's chest, festering worse anxiety... but if he didn't say this now, he'd never be able to do it. This wasn't like him. He never needed to provide any form of comfort to anyone before. Not until he met Luke. Not until he barged his way inside this house. Little did he know he was setting himself up for a world of trouble. Without thinking of the consequences of his new environment, Cassian had demanded a room in this house.

Maybe he had been here too long.

It might changed him into something he didn't recognize.

"I promise to keep Luke safe," Cassian said in his gentlest tone. He wanted her to hear his sincerity. He meant it with all the fire brewing in his belly, with every scale on his skin, and with every beat of his heart.

Astrid looked up. She met his eyes and they stayed there, studying each other. Letting out a breath, her shoulders relaxed. She smiled a little. "I know you will, dear."

When Cassian couldn't take it anymore, he let the door go and turned away. He took deep solid breaths before he met Luke's side. Luke sighed, nearly at the end of his rope. A little more whining and Harry might've convinced him to stay or at least take the beast with them to Paris.