Shadow Slave

Chapter 1926 Enhanced Interrogation A few moments later, Sunny led Cassie out of the stronghold. Since she was currently robbed of all her Abilities except for the Dormant one, she once again turned into the helpless girl he had once guided across the Forgotten Shore... which was both nostalgic and a little heartbreaking to see.

Sunny offered her his arm, and she took it tentatively. Their physical closeness earned him a few scornful looks from the passerby, who seemed ready to beat him up as if he was some kind of despicable philanderer... with a healthy dose of envy mixed into the anger, perhaps.

He was momentarily happy that Cassie could not see these reactions.

Ignoring the idiots, Sunny led her toward the Ivory Island.

'Essence exhaustion...'

Of course, it was the most obvious answer. He just failed to consider it seriously because Cassie, unlike Nephis and Sunny himself, had very rarely driven herself to that state before, if ever.

Which posed the question.

What exactly had made her burn so much essence?

The answer would have to wait until they were in a more private setting, though.

As they walked, Cassie asked quietly:

"Did something happen? I've been told that the King has left for the waking world. Considering how difficult it seems for him to do so... I assume that Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows had conquered the Citadel."

Sunny lingered with the answer.

Eventually, he said neutrally:

They did. However, there were complications: Cassie's grip tightened.

"What... what kind of complications?"

He grimaced.

It was not impossible for Master Sunless to know, but it was definitely a bit strange. Sadly, Cassie seemed to have been too agitated and left him no choice but to answer.

Sunny looked ahead somberly.

"There was... an ambush. Quite a devious one, so much so that it almost ended in disaster. Well, technically, it did. Several Saints of the Sword Army are dead."

He paused for a moment, and added:

"Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows are fine, though."

Cassie let out a shaky breath, then asked somberly:

"How?"

He sighed.

of the Queen, each a Transcendent of divine

a bit before finishing

too much, while we knew too little. There seems to be a powerful diviner among them, as well

diviner of their small faction — no, of the entire Sword Army. This failure was, in

misjudged as an indictment of her

did not speak again until they reached

gently let go of his hand and walked the rest of the way on her own, tracing her fingers across the cold stone of the

in her office and protected from any potential eavesdroppers by a few special Memories, they could finally talk. Luckily, Anvil himself was currently away,

in her chair and

"What exactly happened?"

wall and crossed

but a small team of powerful Saints went directly to our destination instead. They got there faster than us, as well... of course, we don't know if they lost anyone in the process, and how many. However,

expression darkened. Sunny remained silent for

than that, they were prepared to face me and Nephis in particular. Dark Dancer Revel and Moonveil managed to counter our Aspects almost perfectly. They might not have managed such a feat alone, but with

slowly shook

drive them away in the end, but not without heavy losses. I even gained quite a valuable boon in the process. Still... it

was his turn

How did you end up like that in the middle

answer immediately, troubled by what he

while, she sighed and leaned back

that there are spies

Sunny nodded.

"I did."

Cassie's expression turned dark.

was how

'Huh.'

words for a few

have you

smile twisted her lips. Cassie

Valor managed to sniff out and capture those spies, but they proved too seasoned and zealous to betray the secrets of their Queen. None of the Memories Valor usually uses to get the truth out of people worked, and their interrogators failed as well. Torturing these people would have been of no use, and so... I guess

Sunny scowled.

memories of

Not that he thought that Cassie was above doing such vile things... he was pretty sure that she would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, no matter how brutal or

know that, so what right did he have to make such a

kill him slowly

swiftly, from the shadows, and stabbing him in