Cassian didn't remember much of what happened in the next hour.
He sat through the entire etiquette class, but his mind had drifted far from the scrolls and teachings. The instructor's voice was a distant hum in the background, like wind pushing against a locked window. The words reached his ears, but nothing stuck.
His thoughts were somewhere else—no, someone else.
His sister.
The moment he had read that letter, something inside him had cracked open. And now, no matter how hard he tried to focus, he kept picturing her—older maybe, or still small like when they were torn apart. He imagined her scared, wondering if he had forgotten her. He imagined her angry. Or worse… hopeless.
He blinked slowly when he heard the instructor mention the noble demon houses of the realm. That part drew faint interest from him.
