The wedding was less than a week away, and Cass was anything but ready for it.
There wasn't much she needed to do by way of planning - that the wedding coincided with the Summer Solstice festival was in her favor in that regard. Anything that a bride would have assumed to be her responsibility was already cared for by the servants and professionals already in Baz's employ.
Granted, they requested her opinion when needed. Food and drink, colors and favors- whenever she found a spare moment of her own at home, there seemed to be vendors and merchants knocking on her door, requesting an audience.
And being not only who she was, but who she would become, she had no other choice but to welcome them in warmly. For it was Lady Cassandra Cortova, heir to the silk empire built by her father and curated by her sister, that was marrying Lord Sebastian Gaylen, diplomat for the City of Lathos. It was not Cass, the potential Second marrying Baz, the leader of the Guild of Assassins.
Even still, that knowledge did not make the time pass by any easier, and Cass was finding her time better spent within the Guild's training room and her private chambers rather than milling around the manor's office waiting for Lucas to summon her for another guest's arrival.
If Lilia was alive, she'd know exactly what to do.
But Lilia wasn't alive.
And the man who all but killed her had already tossed her aside, disregarding anything that may or may not have transpired between them. If the rumors were true, Lilia had wasted her life for whatever she felt for that Lord. And all for nothing...
With a sigh, she finished wrapping her fists with tape before she stepped into the training ring. The day was already growing late after yet another afternoon full of greeting guests and finalizing menus. At least there, within the Underground, no one would ask her what color she'd prefer the servants wear.
At least while she was within the training ring, no one would ask her about the wedding.
"So, how's the wedding planning?"
The punch she was about to throw missed the dummy's straw-filled head completely, and she stumbled forward into it as Wil's voice echoed throughout the empty room.
Whipping around to face him, she clenched her fists at her sides. "I thought I told you I didn't want to see you ever again?" she reminded him hoarsely.
"And here I assumed that was merely your emotions getting the better of you," he mused as he walked around to the other side of the training ring as if to remain at the safest distance.
"Nothing I do or say is purely by emotion," she reminded him, doing her best to ignore his stare as she returned her attention solely to the dummy before her. "Everything is a calculated move with a greater plan."
"You've been hanging around Baz too much," he said with a sigh, and Cass couldn't help the small smile that teased the edges of her lips.
But thoughts of Baz had her hesitate- she was going to be married to him in less than a week before the plutocracy and diplomats not only of Lathos but of its prominent surrounding areas. She was going to be the highlight of the festival this year, and yet...
"What's wrong?" he asked suddenly, daring a step closing with something akin to concern lacing his words.
She didn't look at him. She didn't look at anything but at her hands before her, trying to place the words without sounding like a complete fool. She had grown up a merchant's daughter but was too young to attend any events of importance. Her mother died when she was young, so it was Lilia who raised her while their father was away. And maybe because of that, she missed out on most of the simpler things in life that girls in merchant households experienced. Perhaps that was why she was so intrigued by the Underground, where she didn't need to pretend to be someone she wasn't, especially when Lilia was so much better at it than her.
"I can't dance," she finally said, resigning herself to be the center of his ridicule.
But Wil didn't laugh. Instead, he took another step closer, his head cocked to the side as if he was assessing her. "No one ever taught you?"
She shook her head.
"Not even Baz?"
She scoffed at that. "As if he'd have the time."
Wil's brows furrowed at her words. "I would have assumed he'd find it for you."
She shrugged her shoulders in response. "There aren't exactly many reasons to within the Guild."
"And elsewhere?"
Another shrug. "I never cared to ask."
Something flashed across Wil's eyes- not the ridicule she was expecting. Not even pity, but perhaps something more like sympathy. Understanding.
"I'm going to teach you."
"What?" Cass choked out.
"I'm going to teach you how to dance," he said levelly.
"Where, right here? Right now?"
Wil glanced around at the training room, empty for all but them. "I don't see why not?"
"There's no music."
"Do you need music when you're practicing swordplay?"
"This has nothing to do with swords."
"Doesn't it, though?" he challenged. "Is there truly any difference between the two where footwork is concerned?"
Cass opened her mouth to respond but closed it. She hated when he was right. But rather than giving him the victory, she responded with, "And who's going to teach me?"
Giving her a gracious bow, he smiled at her knowingly.
She couldn't help but laugh. "And since when do you know how to dance?"
"Since I discovered it was a valuable skill to have, especially when one needs to blend in with the aristocracy during certain missions."
Missions that Cass had never been assigned- she had to wonder if her inability to play the part of a Lady was more obvious than she suspected.
"Come on," Wil urged, now standing before her with his arms out. "What do you have to lose?"
"My dignity?" she muttered, folding her arms over her chest.
He gave her a smirk but kept his arms out.
Rolling her eyes, Cass assented, closing the distance between them. "Fine, but if word of this gets out-"
"I'll do my best to leave alone the scandalous details."
She gasped at his insinuation, but all other words were lost as he pulled he grabbed her hands and pulled her close against him. She realized only then that she had never been this close to Wil before, not that she truly had any reason to be. He had always been closer to Lilia when her sister was around, and there was a time when Cass humored herself into thinking it was because he was infatuated with Lilia.
But she looked up at him as he worked on situating her hands - one on his shoulder, the other remaining in his grasp as he placed his other on her hip. He smelled like he had just recently bathed, remnants of lavender soap mingling with his scent of leather and steel. His dark hair fell to the collar of his shirt, which was open to reveal the tan-yet-scarred skin beneath, and she wondered when the last time was he had had it cut.
She didn't realize she was staring until she caught his dark eyes meeting her own, and he gave her a smug grin.
"See something you like?" he purred.
"Did someone bite you?" she asked quickly, only then noticing the red, swollen mark on his bottom lip.
"What? Oh- no. I cut it. Shaving."
She arched a brow, noticing that his cheeks were still shadowed with stubble. "Uh-huh..."
"Do you want to learn how to dance or not?" he snapped quickly.
"Yes, yes, okay," she conceded, and relaxed enough for him to lead.
She wasn't lying when she told Wil she couldn't dance. She never had rhythm, even when she was younger. Musical instruments, singing, basic steps- all failed to call to her, and she rather get lost in her books than have to pretend she could ever master any of it. Growing up, it was supposed to be Lilia who needed to know those things. And she did. And she was so good at it.
With her thoughts distracted by her sister, she didn't have time to notice that she was soon falling in step with Wil as they moved together, that she was stepping on his feet less and less as they moved smoothly over the floor of the training room and soundless music. Soon, they were gliding in circles, Wil silently counting out the steps to a local reel Cass was certain would be highlighted at the wedding. He was good at what he did, Cass had to give him that. And even after she was so harsh with him on that rooftop, there he was, offering to help her from making a fool of herself in front of the entirety of Lathos.
Maybe he wasn't such a prick after all.
"I'm sorry- about the other night," she said quietly while they moved, her attention focused on the wall behind him than on the intent gaze he threw her way.
Wil chuckled softly. "I don't think I've ever heard you apologize for anything. Even when you kneed me in the balls."
"You deserved that."
"Details."
She huffed out a small laugh- when was the last time she did that? And she finally met that stare, and there was something else within his eyes that made her breath catch in her throat. Something intense and primal, while at the same time tender and desperate.
"Cass, there's something I have to tell you," he said, his voice hoarse. He hadn't missed a step, but by the tone of his voice, Cass felt as though she wanted to know every word, while at the same time needed to run from to room to avoid hearing any of it.
"Wil," she whispered, just as softly, almost in warning.
"I do hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Anything Wil had reflected in those eyes, any hint of what he was going to say to her, was gone the moment Baz's voice sent them apart from each other. The gentle features of the man before her instantly hardened into those of the deadly assassin she had known, and that intensity was focused on their Leader as he approached.
"Your fiancée said she didn't know how to dance- I took it upon myself to keep her from making you look like a fool at the festival."
She whipped her head towards Wil at that, giving him a glare and instantly regretting any remorse she may have had for her prior actions.
Baz gave Wil a smirk but turned his attention to Cass. "If you needed lessons, I could have found them for you," he assured her as he stepped closer, stopping between her and Wil as if to protect her from whatever Baz may have seen within Wil's eyes. A darting glance told Cass Wil was not pleased with the placement, especially as his jaw clenched and his hands tightened into fists.
"I—I didn't want to bother you with such a petty request," Cass stammered as Baz's attention remained solely on her.
"No request would ever be a bother from my future wife," he mused, leaning in to place a chaste kiss on her cheek before turning to face Wil where he stood.
The other assassin didn't hide his emotions from the leader before him, allowing whatever contempt he had for Baz to rest plainly upon his face.
If Baz noticed, he didn't seem to care.
"Thank you for taking the time out of your day to assist the Guild's future Second, William," Baz taunted, "but I'll be able to handle her lessons from here."
With a flash of teeth and something akin to a growl, Wil pivoted and stalked out of the room.
But not before he gave Cass one last glance, a look that was reminiscent of the one he gave her in the office after Baz pinned him to the wall.
One that almost said Please.
And even as Baz took her into his own arms and spun her around the room to his own rhythm, her gaze kept drifting towards the now-empty doorway where Wil departed, and she couldn't help but wonder what it was he would have told her had Baz not interrupted.