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 lineage. And four Reflections. They

bit before finishing

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

small faction — no, of the entire Sword Army. This

misjudged as an indictment

did not speak again until

to finally regain a little of her essence. She gently let go of his hand and walked the rest of the way on her own, tracing her fingers across the

safely 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 let out a

"What exactly happened?"

on the wall and crossed his arms, then

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, they killed the Great Terror defending the Citadel and claimed it. Needless to say, once we entered,

Sunny

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 Mordret's Reflections mirroring their powers, it worked. It... was a

slowly shook

boon in the process. Still... it might have gone much better if you had

was his turn to

up like that in the middle

troubled by what he had

and leaned back in the

there are spies

Sunny nodded.

"I did."

Cassie's expression turned dark.

That was how I spent

'Huh.'

considered her words for a few

when have you become

bitter smile twisted her lips. Cassie

I guess. The situation was... difficult. I don't know how 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

Sunny scowled.

entity to those who wanted to keep secrets. However, violating the memories of captive people seemed like quite a vile affair, and one ill-suited for the beautiful Song of

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

just that the King of Swords did not know that, so what right

bastard. I'll kill him slowly

the shadows, and stabbing him in the back. Either