Chapter 3 – Blackmail
Cassius completely ignored the advice of his maid — Océane — to change his wet clothes before meeting his new family.
He hadn't even heard her. His mind was too fixed on why he had been summoned.
'I just pray it's not what I think.' He thought, his unsteady steps halting in front of a humongous door deep inside the Desdemona Mansion.
The door was all black, the colour like condensed shadow, a bright sigil etched into it and glowing red, bleeding light into everything around it.
The sigil was a white snake biting its own tail, a whisper of blood trickling and glowing from where teeth met flesh.
At the sight of it, Cassius felt his left chest thunder. He glanced down and saw a light on his chest, faint as a dying photon, barely glowing through his clothes.
'I've already awakened.' His suspicion was confirmed at the sight of his Birthright Mark.
Meaning the official start of the Game was soon. In other words…
'I have around a week before the event with Isolde. And two to three years before the end of the Desdemona.'
He narrowed his eyes at that. It was far too fast.
Sighing, he blinked, bringing his attention back to the door, and steeled himself to enter.
No guards stood in front of it. There was truly no need. One would have to be the greatest fool alive to step uninvited into the personal meeting room of the Desdemona main family.
Cassius drew a deep breath into his lungs, shook his head, sending sprays of water scattering. "Will you accompany me inside?" He asked Océane, who was staring daggers at him from behind.
"Only the heirs may enter, Young Master." Her voice was smooth.
"Then what will you do?"
"I will wait for you here, Young Master." She said, slightly puzzled by such an obvious question.
Cassius didn't answer for a moment. He tilted his head, looked at Océane over his shoulder, and smiled.
"Why so serious…" He drawled. "Just go back. I'll call for you when I need you."
Not waiting for an answer, he took one confident step toward the door.
As if recognising his presence, his Birthright Mark glowed as brightly as it could — which was pitifully faint — and the Snake Eating Sigil glowed in return before the door yawned open.
Cassius's smile turned wry at the world of writhing, spitting, swirling shadows that welcomed him. He wanted to feel surprised, but the memories of the previous Cassius living inside him dulled all of it.
He steeled himself and stepped inside, accepting the cold embrace of the shadows.
He disappeared within them. The door closed automatically behind him.
Behind, Océane remained standing, eyebrows knitted together. "Young Master," she whispered, holding her chin. "Young Master feels different today."
Her eyes lit up. "Is it because of his low Birthright Capacity?"
She wondered briefly then clicked her tongue.
'Not my problem.'
It truly wasn't. Especially when the concern was Cassius Desdemona himself. The youngest and most spoiled child of a family of monsters.
And even with his Capacity being a disappointment, his family's protection was more than enough to guarantee him a comfortable life.
'How lucky.'
Océane hissed quietly with jealousy.
…
Cassius found himself seated at a wide black table streaked with crimson. The white Snake Eating Sigil was etched boldly in the middle of it.
The surrounding area was swallowed by darkness, except for the hissing shadows that seemed more alive than anything else in the room.
A deep shiver ran through him at the sight.
But he had other things to worry about.
Across the table sat three people.
One man, lean body, looking around forty, white hair, black eyes like twin pools of shadow. And two women, one clearly younger than the other.
The older woman watched him with a loving smile already fixed on her face with her crimson hair, matching eyes.
The younger woman looked exactly like the man. White hair, black eyes, but with a birthmark beside her left eye that darkened the skin there.
'My parents and my sister.' He thought, feeling strange saying it, yet unable to deny the warmth that surfaced anyway.
Cassius had already decided not to act like his predecessor. There was no need. He and the original Cassius were oddly alike in some ways as it was.
And if something seemed slightly off, no one would think too hard about it. Having a low Capacity in a family of monsters was reason enough to come back changed.
Perfectly normal.
"How have you been, my baby?" His mother, Sefira Desdemona, asked with genuine warmth. "And what happened to your clothes?"
She snapped her fingers and a purple plate of strawberry dessert appeared in front of Cassius.
"Nothing, Mother." Cassius answered, trying to keep his voice steady, accepting the dessert gratefully. "I woke up today feeling like changing some habits."
"And you did that by…" Morgan cut in, "…throwing yourself into a bathtub fully clothed?"
"I must ask, sister, do you spy on me?"
"Do you think I'm that unhinged, Cass?"
"Respectfully, yes."
Morgan cackled, her laughter bouncing through the shadowed space without the slightest concern. "So accurate, Cass! But no, I didn't spy on you this time. Do you want me to though? I could—!"
"No, thank you." Cassius cut in.
"Let's—!"
"Cassius."
Morgan fell immediately silent and turned her head. Her father's stern face stared back at her, his monotone voice having done all the work.
She shrugged and listened.
Cassius looked at his father, Aldrin Desdemona, and felt a tremor move through him.
'Here we go.'
"Yes, Father."
The word tasted strange.
"You are going to get married." He said, no buildup, no suspense, watching his son for a reaction.
What he found made him raise an eyebrow slightly.
"You don't look surprised, my baby." Sefira drawled, resting her cheek on one palm, smile unchanged.
Cassius was obviously not surprised and couldn't be bothered to pretend otherwise. He already knew exactly what was coming.
"I expected it." He said, eating the dessert in a manner that surprised even himself. "My Birthright Mark has low Capacity. And even though I've awakened a good Aspect from our Family Origin Pools, it's hardly sufficient without the necessary Capacity."
The dessert was already gone.
"And you care about me." He continued. "But it's close to impossible for you to keep an eye on me at all times. So you plan to give me a wife who can protect me. Which means she is strong and talented. My complete opposite."
He smiled faintly as he looked at their surprised faces.
"Since when is my baby this sharp?"
"Right, Mother? Dorian would have wept with joy seeing this side of Cass."
"Don't ever tell him."
"Who is the woman?" Cassius cut in, even though he already knew the answer.
"Isolde Amaris of the Third Tier Amaris Family." Morgan answered, smiling proudly.
She seemed to be waiting for congratulations.
Cassius ignored her eager eyes, barely suppressed a shudder, and asked the question that mattered most.
"Why?" He said, sweeping his eyes across the three of them. "Why would she agree to marry the talentless Desdemona?"
At that, Morgan and Sefira smiled thinly. Aldrin's black eyes deepened further.
The shadows around them twisted, cackling with some unknown force, settling over them like a blanket.
"What an obvious question, Cass." Morgan whispered, baring her teeth into a sharp grin.
And his mother finished it.
"We blackmailed them, my baby."
"And it was me!" Morgan pointed at herself proudly. "Are you proud of me, Cass? I'm better than Dorian, don't you think?"
Dead silence. A silence so profound only the shifting of shadows could be heard.
Cassius stared at them for a long moment, then slowly closed his eyes without a word.
'First mission: Stop the blackmail of the Amaris Family. Failed.'
"Why are you ignoring me, Cass!"
'Great. Just great.'
—End of Chapter 3—