"You knew," I said, the words barely a whisper, yet slicing through the heavy silence of the ancient temple. "You knew what they intended for me, didn't you?"
Cassian stepped toward me, his hands raised, palms open. "Seraphine, listen to me—"
"Did you know?" My voice cracked, raw with a betrayal so sharp it felt like a physical blade in my chest. "All this time... every touch, every look, every promise. Was any of it real, or was it just a game to keep me docile until the moment arrived?"
"I didn't know," Cassian insisted, his dark eyes desperate, locking onto mine. "I swear on my life, Seraphine, I had no idea the High Council named me as your executioner. I found out the same moment you did."
"Lie!" I shouted, taking a hard step back, the cold stone beneath my feet doing nothing to g
