Cassian’s POV
Mira’s fingers gripped the chain tightly, as if the memory of her parents lived within its cool metal. I could feel her body shaking not from fear, but from the weight of a thousand facts unraveling all at once.
“Tell me more about him,” she said suddenly, her voice soft. “My father. I barely remember his smile.”
I drew in a breath, pushing myself to go back to a time I tried to bury.
“He was nothing like the rumors said,” I began. “He was powerful, yes. Stern. But kind in ways no one ever saw. He used to sit with the pups after training, telling them stories. His laughter could echo through the trees. He believed the best in people… even when he shouldn’t have.”
Mira nodded slowly. “That was his weakness.”
“No,” I said gently. “That was his strength. And it’s what got
