Chapter 82

Chapter 82 Seraphina's POV Cassian was locked beneath the watchtower, in one of the reinforced holding cells meant for traitors and war criminals. The air down there was cold, stale, and heavy with silence. I hadn’t visited him—not yet. I told myself it was because there were too many things to organize after the battle, too many wounded to tend to, too many lives to honor. But really, I just didn’t know what I’d say to him. Kaelos had taken charge of fortifying the valley. Blackthorne’s banner flew from the highest tower, a symbol of our victory. But every time I looked at it, I didn’t feel pride. I felt the weight of what came next. "The Elders will want a statement," Callista said as we walked along the ridge. The wind pulled strands of her dark hair loose from her braid. "They’ll want to know what happens to Cassian." "They’ll want a spectacle," I muttered. "Yes," she said simply. "But what will you give them?" That question haunted me as we returned to the summit chamber. The war