As the door clicked shut behind Cassius, Zoe closed her eyes, trying to steady her racing thoughts. The room was quiet, save for the rhythmic crackling of the nearby fireplace and the faint rustle of wind against the windows. The flicker of hope she had felt earlier refused to be snuffed out, but it was tangled with a storm of emotions she couldn’t yet untangle.
Her mind replayed Cassius’s words, his steady confidence that they would uncover the truth. That thought kept her from spiraling. But beneath it all, her father’s face lingered in her memory - his warm smile and steady presence now reduced to a phantom.
A soft knock on the door pulled her back to the present. The healer, Marella, peeked in, carrying a tray of warm tea and herbal ointments. Her weathered face was lined with worry.
