Cassian looked around the grand, empty room in confusion. There was no one in sight.
And then—
A soft hiss.
His eyes snapped downward.
There, right near his boot, lay a small, glistening creature, a snake.
But not just any snake.
It was white. Pure white—like snow untouched by dirt. Its scales shimmered under the light, smooth and shining like pearls. Its tiny body curled gently on the polished floor, and its glass-like round black eyes stared straight at him.
Cassian froze.
And then, to his utter shock…
The snake spoke.
"Cassian! You finally came back! You didn't forget me, did you?"
Cassian took a quick step back. His breath caught in his throat. He blinked, sure that he had imagined it.
"You… how do you speak?" he asked with a shaky voice.
For a moment, he even wondered if he had misheard. Maybe he was so desperate to see his sister, his mind was playing tricks.
But the snake blinked her large, watery eyes, and her voice returned—soft and sad.
