She buried her face against her knees.
“No,” she whispered.
Then, weaker, “I mean… yes.”
Cassian went very still.
Liora hated that stillness. Hated the silence after it. Hated that he was waiting for the truth instead of giving her somewhere to hide.
“I thought I was buying your safety.”
The words came out cracked and ugly.
Cassian sat down beside her, close enough that his shoulder brushed hers, but he didn’t touch her yet.
Not until she leaned toward him.
Then his arm came around her, careful and firm, drawing her against his side.
“Tell me everything,” he said against her temple. “Start at the beginning.”
So she did.
Haltingly at first, then faster when stopping became harder than speaking. She told him about Helena’s private meetings, the concern that always sounded too sof
