Cassia’s POV When I woke again, the world outside my window glowed copper-red. My skin burned with heat; my back throbbed as though each lash still lived beneath it. Diane had slipped out hours ago, leaving the faint scent of herbs in the air. I pushed myself upright, every movement slow, deliberate. The room felt too small, too heavy with memory. By the time I reached the corridor, the sun was sliding down the horizon. I told myself a short walk would do no harm. The path to the lake was nearly empty. Only a handful of guards lingered at a distance, their armor dull in the fading light. The water shimmered like melted glass, ripples catching the last glints of gold. I stood where he and I once had, reminiscing on our past conversation. A cool wind rose off the lake, slipping through the thin fabric on my arms and raising a shiver I hadn’t noticed before. I turned to head back, the cold finally sinking in. That was when I heard it— a low, rolling growl that seemed to crawl out
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