Chapter57:

I turned and smiled at Zara, trying as hard as I could not to portray that I was not quite myself. My hands shook slightly but she didn’t seem to notice as she came to my side.  “Morpheus came home.” she grinned, her dark eyes sparkling. “I worry about that, Zara. He’s still vulnerable.” I admitted, forcing my face to express my fear. She laughed at me and took my slightly trembling hand in hers, looping it through the crook in her arm and urging me silently to walk with her.  “How is Cassia?” I asked, knowing full well that what the child had done could have resulted in her execution by Icelus.  Zara’s entire body tensed and she looked away. “She is well.”  I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the woman was lying. Something terrible had happened - I was sure of it. I felt the blood drain from my face and I stopped in my tracks, forcing Zara to halt as well.  “What happened, Zara... and don’t even think of lying to me.”  My voice was sterner than I had intended, but it did the trick