Shadow Slave

Shadows suddenly danced across Cassie's beautiful face as she lowered the Guiding Light.

"That was because Torment had a message to deliver to me, so that her wish could be fulfilled. And that message could only be delivered face-to-face."

She took a deep breath.

"So, she infiltrated Fallen Grace and modified the shackles that bound Dusk. She also wrote an accord of what happened in the previous cycles and left it for me to read. Finally, she crawled into the Temple of Dusk and met me, delivering the message."

Cassie's voice turned cold, and her expression became ruthless:

"However, she was still a Defiled. And, unlike the Mad Prince, she did not have a whisper of Ariel to keep her from losing all of her humanity. All she had was a cruel weave of restrictions and commands to push her toward the desired outcome, and that weave was not flawless."

She looked at Sunny without any humor in her eyes.

"So, after completing the mission of delivering her message to me, she instantly attempted to consume me. She was still being held back by the authority of the Dread Lord, though, and so... she died by my hand, instead."

There was silence for a while. The ketch reached the shore of the icy island and scraped against it, coming to a stop.

Sunny stared at Cassie, his thoughts in turmoil.

'So... she knew everything, all along.'

took him a long time to learn the truth about the Great River, the Source and the Estuary, the Six Plagues and their connection to the

were partners in crime... in more than one sense. Even though Torment was barely a living being, from

Mad Prince had indeed a plan in place to remove Torment from the cohort's path. She had been used and discarded, sent to be slaughtered by Cassie in Fallen Grace. He did not doubt for a moment that the

about was if Torment knew about it and went to her

were numerous questions on his mind, but two of them

message Torment

had Cassie not shared

to the second question should be evident,

from the previous cycle — the one that had eventually become Torment,

had known what the future Mad Prince was planning, and allowed herself to be infected

that Cassie had been scheming long before that happened. That she had needed

He gritted his teeth.

along, and kept quiet? You did not share any of that knowledge with us, acting surprised when we learned the dreadful truths of this Nightmare? Did you not think, at least once... that maybe it would be good for us

Cassie faced him calmly.

Because sharing my knowledge has worked so well in the past? Sure, Sunny. You of all people should know how dangerous knowledge is, what knowing something that you aren't

She turned away.

was waiting for us ahead... but I am not omniscient. ?ìg??օ???w????~?օ?. I only know that much. Would it have made a difference? Or