Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"B rie? May I come in?"

Brielle was in her small chamber at Lonsdale, on the corner of the house so she had a view of the river. Usually, the girls in the family shared a bedchamber, but Lonsdale had so many rooms that it wasn't necessary.

And that was a good thing.

Brielle didn't want to talk to anyone.

Her mother, however, ignored her wishes. Dustin had the door half-open even as she asked permission to enter, so Brielle simply forced a smile and nodded. She'd been sitting in the oriel window of the chamber, a protruding window that had a built-in seat. It was the perfect place to sit and sew or read or contemplate life. Even contemplate yet another disappointment where Cassian was concerned.

She'd hardly slept all night because of it.

"Good morn to you, Mama," Brielle said.

Dustin entered the chamber, her gray eyes fixed on her daughter. A raging beauty in her youth, she was still quite beautiful and fiery when the mood struck her. She'd passed that beauty and brilliance on to her daughters, something Christopher both loved and lamented. He had a house full of Dustins, he would say.

And considered himself lucky for it.

"Are you well, sweetheart?" Dustin asked. "I came to see you last night after you arrived home, but you were already in bed."

Brielle nodded. "I know," she said. "I was… tired."

"Where did you go? Your father was very concerned for you."

Brielle shrugged, looking at her lap. "I know," she said. "I did not mean to worry him, but I stayed behind at the tournament field to speak with Cassian."

"Did you speak to him?"

Brielle shook her head. Then the tears came. Dustin quickly closed the door and rushed to her daughter's side, putting her arms around her.

"What happened, my angel?" she asked softly. "I told your father that seeing Cassian was too much for you to bear. I am so sorry this has been so trying for you."

Brielle shook her head. "It is not too much," she wept. "'Tis only…"

She trailed off and Dustin released her from her embrace, taking her hands instead. "What did he say to you?"

Brielle sniffled. "He did not say anything to me last night," she said. "But earlier in the day, when the fighting broke through the rail, he said a great many things. He knows about Max and he said that he wanted to earn his family back. I was willing to give him the chance until…"

"Until what ?"

Brielle's tears were returning no matter how hard she tried to stave them off. "When I remained behind at the field after Papa had gone on ahead, I saw Cassian leaving the competitors' encampment," she said. "I thought he might have been looking for me, not realizing I was still at the field, so I tried to catch up with him. I ended up following him all the way into London."

Dustin looked surprised. "Why did he go into London?"

Brielle knew why and she wiped her face furiously as the tears fell. "God, Mama," she breathed. "Don't tell me I have been fooled a second time by him. I could not stand if it he deceived me yet again."

"Why do you say that?" Dustin asked, stricken. "Why did he go into London?"

Brielle took a deep breath. "I followed him to Candlewick Street," she said. "Do you know what kind of street that is? Taverns and brothels, mostly. I saw him go into… into a brothel."

Dustin clapped a hand over her mouth in disbelief. "It's not true," she hissed. "Brie? Did he really do that?"

Brielle nodded. Then, she burst into tears anew and fell forward on her mother, weeping as Dustin tried to comfort her. She didn't even know what to say to her daughter, who had been distracted by Cassian since learning of his reappearance two days ago. Not that Dustin blamed her, but she felt a tremendous rage at Cassian for evidently breaking Brielle's heart yet again.

Damn him!

"I do not know what that man is thinking," she said. "And he knows you followed him?"

"Nay."

Dustin growled at the terrible actions of a lad she'd once loved like a son. "If I ever see him again, he'll be lucky if a scolding is all I do. How could he possibly do such a thing?"

Brielle sniffled and wept, trying to get a hold of herself. "I do not know," she said. "But I am not going to the tournament today. I do not want to see him, Mama."

As Brielle sat up and wiped her face, Dustin went in search of a kerchief. She found one in her daughter's wardrobe and brought it back to her, helping her dry her tears.

"You do not have to go," she said. "I do not blame you, of course. I am just sorry… sorry that Cass has stooped so low. I would not think him capable of such a thing."

Brielle wiped her nose. "He's been away for seven years," she said. "I did not expect him to live the life of a priest, but he told me… well, he told me that he'd not had a woman in his bed since he left me. But he lied. That is what hurts me the most– he lied to me."

Dustin was becoming increasingly incensed at Cassian's behavior. "I am sorry, sweetheart," she said. "Not all men are so dishonorable. I'm sorry that Cassian has shown you otherwise."

A knock on the door caught their attention. Brielle continued to quickly wipe her face. "Who is it?" she called.

"Your father," came the muffled reply.

Brielle looked at her mother, who cast her a long look before going to open the door. Christopher stepped in, prepared to instruct Brielle to get down to the bailey where the carriage and wagons awaited for the trip to Bromley but he immediately caught his daughter's red-rimmed eyes and his wife's severe expression.

His brow furrowed with concern.

"What is amiss?" he asked, looking between the pair.

Dustin started to answer but Brielle stopped her. "Nay, Mama, I will tell him." She wiped her eyes one last time and stood up, facing her father. "Last night, you knew I was waiting to speak to Cassian after the mass competition."

"I know," Christopher nodded. "You went to bed when you arrived home and I was unable to ask you about it. What did he say?"

"I did not speak to him," Brielle said, feeling less sad and more angry at this point. "I waited and waited, but he never came back to the tournament field. I did, however, see him leaving on the road that leads into London city, so I followed him, thinking he might have been looking for me somehow. I tried to catch up to him, but I was unable to. I ended up following him to Candlewick Street."

Christopher frowned. "That is not a suitable street for you."

"I know," Brielle said, her voice softening. "There are taverns and brothels, and I saw him go into a brothel."

With that, she turned away, unable to explain more, but Christopher stood there and stared at her as if he could hardly believe it. Then, the weight of the implications sank in. After several long moments, he shook his head and looked away.

"And he does not know you saw him there?" he asked.

"Nay."

Christopher closed his eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose because he could feel a headache coming on. "That bastard," he muttered. "Is that what his life has become? Tournaments and brothels?"

Dustin could hear the disappointment in his voice. Disappointment in a man he'd had so much faith in, once. Cassian hadn't only betrayed Brielle– he'd betrayed the entire family and they were still trying to come to terms with it.

"Brie does not wish to go to the tournament today and I quite agree with her," Dustin said. "If you see Cassian today, you will tell him to stay away from Brielle. You will tell him to stay away from all of us."

Christopher looked at his wife and then his daughter's hung head. "I shall do far more than that," he muttered. "He has led Brie to believe he wishes to reconcile and then… then this."

"Nay, Papa," Brielle said. "Please… just stay away from him. Do not say anything."

"Why not?"

"Because it should come from me," she said, wiping at her eyes again because they were beginning to leak. "I am the one he wronged, so you will allow me to deal with him. Please."

Christopher wasn't happy, but he respected her need to be up front with Cassian. "When do you intend to do this?" he said. "He will come asking for you today, I am sure, and if you are not around, what should I tell him?"

He had a point. Brielle couldn't confront him if she was hiding away at Lonsdale. It would make things awkward for her father, to be sure. If she was going to cast Cassian out of her life once and for all, she needed to do it as quickly as possible because after this tournament, she was going to push him aside forever.

She'd already decided that.

Cassian had been such a part of her life for so long that she honestly didn't know how she was going to move forward without him. There would be no reconciliation, no being a family with Max. Max would never know his father or his mother, and perhaps that cut her more than actually parting ways with Cassian did.

She couldn't decide which hurt worse.

But it was of little matter. The past seven years, she had been existing, not living. Existing as a woman, as a person, but she hadn't enjoyed her life. It was simply… life . She'd given up a good suitor in the de Nerra son, but she didn't regret it. Even with Cassian out of her life, she still didn't want to marry anyone else. She would be the spinster aunt to a brood of de Lohr grandchildren. Did she mind? Of course she did. But if she couldn't have Cassian as her husband, there was no one else she would want.

But she had to draw the line somewhere. Even if she couldn't imagine herself with anyone else, she wasn't going to marry a man who told her he hadn't had another woman in his bed and then visits a brothel in secret.

She wasn't going to tolerate it.

"Very well," she said. "I will go today. I will tell him myself."

Christopher and Dustin exchanged concerned glances, but Christopher finally nodded to his wife. This is the way it should be, with Brielle confronting Cassian once and for all. He was proud of his daughter for being so strong.

Especially when he knew how much it was killing her.

And that made him want to kill Cassian.

*

He'd been able to pick her out in the crowd immediately.

Brielle had arrived with the rest of the extended de Lohr brood wearing a pale green silk. It was beautiful, making her stand out in the crowd, so Cassian could see her as he came up for his first pass against the same de Chevington knight he'd ransomed the day before. The de Lohr group had come late so he didn't have a chance to speak to Brielle before his bout, but he could certainly see her sitting in the stands. He could see Max, too, watching him and waving his de Lohr flag.

His son.

Somehow, seeing his boy in the stands gave him strength he never even knew he had. His family was watching him from the stands– Brielle and Max– and that was something he'd never really experienced before. It was a feeling he never wanted to lose and it fortified him tremendously.

As he lined up for his first pass along the lists, he could see that the de Lohr children had moved down by the railing, which he didn't think was particularly safe. Splinters from broken lances could fly well into the crowd and he didn't want the children hit by wooden missiles. In an unusual move, he left his starting position and thundered over to the group of de Lohr children, which was being managed by Myles, Douglas, and Christin.

He pointed a gloved finger to the stands.

"There is going to be a lot of broken wood today and it will more than likely fly into this area," he said, muffled through his closed visor. "Move the children back so they will not be hurt by debris."

Myles and Douglas began to quickly move the children back, but a few of them were slow to move, including Max. Cassian bent over and took the little flag he was holding right out of his hands.

"May I carry this with me, Max?" he asked.

Max looked both surprised and thrilled. "You… you want my standard?"

"If you'll let me have it."

Before he could reply, Brielle was there. She snatched the flag out of Cassian's hand and turned it back over to Max.

"Go about your business," she told Cassian. "Max will keep his flag."

Greatly puzzled, and in truth a little hurt, Cassian looked at Brielle. He had no idea why she did that, but he could see that her features were taut with rage. He didn't have a clue as to why she was so angry but, clearly, she was. He didn't have the time to ask her why, so he simply turned his horse around and thundered back over to his starting point without another word.

He wondered what in the hell he could have done between yesterday and today that had angered her so, but he couldn't think about that now. He had a bout against a de Chevington knight and he would be greatly embarrassed to be defeated by a knight that only yesterday he ransomed in the mass competition.

Focus , he told himself.

But it was difficult.

Still, his first pass with the de Chevington knight was a good one. Lances splintered and, much as he had predicted, wood went flying into the area where the de Lohr children had been standing. He managed to hit de Chevington squarely in the shoulder, nearly knocking the man off his horse in the first pass as the crowd went mad.

All but Brielle, that is.

He could see her.

When he finished his pass, he made a sweeping run in front of the stands as the crowd screamed their approval for him, but Brielle simply sat there and watched him. No cheering, no smiles.

No nothing.

That greatly confused him.

Confusion turned to frustration and his next pass against de Chevington saw him hit the man right in the chest with his lance. De Chevington went flying backwards and landed on his arse as the crowd screamed for their victor. Cassian made another sweep in front of the stands and while most people were on their feet, the de Lohr women watching– Dustin and Christin included– simply sat alongside Brielle and made no move to cheer. In fact, they seemed wrapped up in conversation, as if there hadn't just been a magnificent performance put on in front of them.

They didn't seem to care at all.

When Cassian finally came off the field, Beau and a few soldiers were waiting for him. He dismounted his horse, which was the same fat-arse warhorse Alain had given him those years ago, and one of the soldiers took the beast away while the others collected his joust poles and equipment, including his helm. As they carted it all away, Cassian removed his gloves.

"Excellent pass," Beau said. "If all goes well, we should know our opponents for this afternoon in a few hours when they post the list. Personally, I'm hoping to have a chance with one of the de Lohr knights. I'm told that they both dominated on the northern tournament circuit a few years ago."

Cassian heard him, but he wasn't paying much attention. "If that is the case, then you may get your wish," he said. "De Lohr knights are elite."

Beau noticed that he seemed distracted. "What's the matter with you? I thought you would be happier about this."

Cassian sighed sharply. "I am," he said. "It's only that…"

He stopped right there, the natural sense of self-preservation kicking in as it always did when speaking about his past. But Beau had asked him a question and something inside him compelled him to answer. He was just that emotional about it.

"I told you about my connection with de Lohr, did I not?" he said.

Beau shook his head. "Cass, there's not much you have told me of with regards to your past," he said. "I do not care about a man's past, only how he behaves with me in the present. You have always been fair and loyal, so your past does not matter to me."

Cassian looked at him, smiling weakly. "You have been a good friend," he said. "We have known each other for several years now and there have been times when I have wanted to confide in you, but I will be honest when I say that it was just too painful."

Beau nodded, his gaze lingering on the man. There was a knowing look in his eyes. He wasn't a dense man; in fact, quite the opposite and he had worked with Cassian nearly every day for the past several years. He knew when the man was out of sorts like he was now.

He thought he might know why.

"Then I suspect someone from your past is here at the tournament," he said. "Otherwise, I do not think we would be having this conversation."

Cassian grunted. "Astute as always," he said. Then, he sighed heavily as he prepared to tell Beau the truth. "The reality of the matter is that the woman I left behind years ago is here with the son I never knew I had. She was pregnant when I left those years ago, only I did not know it. I just met the boy yesterday."

A light of awareness went on in Beau's eyes. "The lad you took the flag from right before your bout."

"Aye."

Beau nodded in understanding, looking out over the field and catching sight of the de Lohr group in the corner of one of the stands.

"Does he know you are his father?"

Cassian shook his head. "Nay," he said. "His mother… I've loved her since I was twelve years of age. I have always loved her. We were betrothed, but I behaved abysmally. It is a long story and mayhap I will tell you all of it one day but, for now, suffice it to say that I will never love another woman. I have always known that. And I want to earn back her trust."

"Who is her father?"

"The Earl of Hereford and Worcester."

Beau's eyebrows lifted. "Christopher de Lohr himself?"

"Himself."

Beau's gaze lingered on him for a moment as he mulled over that fairly important piece of information.

"Cass," he said slowly. "I will ask you a question and you need not answer if you do not want to, but your last name is not really Coleby, is it?"

"Nay."

"Will you tell me what it is?"

"De Velt."

Beau blinked in surprise. "De Velt?" he repeated. "I know that name."

"I am sure you do."

"There was a de Velt who tore up the Marches many years ago," Beau continued. "He also tore up some of the northern Marches as well. I know this because my uncle served at White Crag Castle, which was sacked by a mercenary known as The Dark Lord. My uncle was killed in those wars. I remember my father speaking of the loss of his brother to Ajax de Velt."

Cassian looked at him, feeling as if he and Beau had suddenly come to some sort of precipice in their relationship. The very name de Velt was still reviled in many places in England, which is why Cassian had concealed his true identity. At least, one of the reasons.

He had a feeling he was about to lose a good friend and he was sick about it.

"It's interesting, in hindsight," he said, wondering why he was even bothering to explain. "My father had six children. I was the youngest. He was a reformed man once he met my mother and became a trusted ally to many men, William Marshal and Christopher de Lohr included. He was wise beyond measure, kind and loving. It seems strange to think of him that way considering what he did in his youth. My father was known as The Dark Lord during those terrible times of conquest. But he grew into a good man I loved very much, so if you have anything disparaging to say about him, save your breath. I have heard it all. Although I am sorry for your uncle's death, my father was a changed man in his older years. He atoned for much."

Beau listened carefully before replying. "Then your father was Ajax de Velt?"

"He was."

"My father hated his brother. Your father did us a favor."

That was not where Cassian had thought this conversation would go. It was his turn to look at Beau in surprise.

"You are welcome?" he said hesitantly.

Beau started to laugh, joined reluctantly by Cassian. Beau clapped him on the shoulder. "Your secret is safe with me, Cass," he said. "That explains a lot about you, quite honestly, so I'm glad I know. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."

Cassian scratched his head. "Frankly, I was not sure if we would be friends again after this bit of honesty, so I am grateful," he said, handing over his gloves to the man. "Now, I intend to find my lady and my son for a moment. I'll see you back in the encampment."

Beau nodded, turning for the encampment as Cassian headed over towards the stands. Because he was usually mobbed by eager spectators if he wandered out of the encampment during the games, he stayed to the inside of the arena, along the rail, as he made his way towards the de Lohr group.

He was focused on Brielle as she sat next to her sister, holding a young child in her lap. She looked so natural with children that he knew she would make a wonderful mother. He found himself fighting off the guilt of that thought, guilt that she couldn't have been a mother to Max because of him. Because of him, she never had the chance.

That was something he very much wanted to change.

But her behavior that morning had been very strange. He wasn't sure why she was angry with him, but he certainly wanted to find out.

Brielle caught sight of him as he closed in on their position in the stands, but as soon as they made eye contact, she quickly looked away. Growing increasingly frustrated with her reaction, Cassian had an idea that she wouldn't come willingly if he asked to speak with her. She might not even come at all.

But he knew how to make her.

Max was on the edge of the railing again, cheering him again as he approached. All of the de Lohr children were cheering him but he could see that the adults, the women, were largely silent. Cassian knew that Christopher and Alexander were with Addax and Essien as they prepared for their coming bouts, so the men were removed at this point, which was a good thing. He could only deal with one angry de Lohr at a time for what he was about to do. Coming close to Max and the other de Lohr children as they happily waved their flags, he reached over the side of the railing, picked Max up, and walked off with him.

Max was excited beyond words, his arms wrapped around Cassian's neck as he crossed the field to the exit on the other end. The child was telling him how well he performed in his joust and wanted to know if he could teach him to joust. Cassian agreed, suggesting that Max needed his own pony to practice such things and, by that time, they were through the exit to the staging area on the other side.

As Cassian had hoped, Brielle joined them.

She had been running and given how fast she was, that was saying something. She ran through the staging area, leaping over a small barrier in her quest to get to Max, who was in no danger and having a marvelous time with his hero. Brielle came up on the pair of them, grinding to a halt.

"What on earth are you doing?" she gasped, reaching out to snatch Max from Cassian's arms. "Give him to me this instant!"

Cassian turned so the boy was just out of her reach and set him on his feet. "Max and I were having a conversation," he said evenly. "He wishes to learn how to joust. I told him that he needed a pony so he could learn."

Brielle was trembling with rage, but she wasn't so blinded by it that she didn't realize that Max was watching her. He was looking at her quite curiously and, not wanting to upset the child, she forced herself to calm down.

But not by much.

"Do not do that again," she said, her voice lowered. "If you do, I will tell my father and you will have a serious issue."

Cassian didn't reply at first. He was becoming annoyed that she was so upset over something he had no knowledge of.

"I will not have to do it again if you tell me what is wrong," he said quietly. "We were quite pleasant yesterday and, now, you are looking at me as if you hate me. I would know what I have done."

Brielle didn't want to get into a discussion with him about it, at least not right at this moment. She sighed heavily and looked at Max.

"Please come with me," she said, holding out her hand to the boy. "Sir Cassian has much to do before his next bout."

Max was clearly disappointed and hung his head. Before he could move to Brielle's side, however, Cassian turned to him.

"Max," he said. "Do you know anything about your father? I understand that you have been told you are an orphan."

Brielle hissed at him, her eyes wide in horror. "Stop," she said. "Not another word."

Cassian looked at her without remorse. "Then tell me why you are so angry with me."

Brielle knew she was trapped. She also knew that Max was watching every move she made, finally catching on that she wasn't happy that Cassian had taken him away. Brielle was able to take him by the hand and led him off towards the stands where the family was.

"Go back to your cousins," she said. "I will be there in a moment and mayhap we will go find more candied horseradish. Hurry, now. The next bout is about to start."

Max nodded, but he cast Cassian a lingering glance before he took off running. As Brielle stood there and watched him, Cassian came up behind her.

"Tell me now," he said quietly. "What have I done that would cause you to treat me so poorly."

Brielle closed her eyes tight for a moment, summoning courage, before turning to face him.

"Cassian," she said. "You told me you have changed in the past seven years."

"I have."

"Did you ever stop to think that it was not for the better?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

Brielle was trying very hard to keep her composure, but visions of Cassian disappearing into that brothel would not go away. The more she tried, the stronger they became. Visions of Cassian doing to another woman what he'd done to her, his mouth on her breasts, his manroot planted deep in her body. Brielle had lost her innocence to Cassian, and he had lost his to her, so the idea of him touching another woman did not sit well with her.

Not at all.

She could feel the tears coming.

"Above all, I value truth," she said, a lump in her throat. "I did not seek you out at Bromley. You did not seek me out, either. It was a happenstance, not instigated by either one of us. I told you once that had I not shown up at this moment in time, I still would not know what happened to you because you had no intention of contacting me. I still feel that is a true statement. Mayhap you were not ready to contact me yet."

He wasn't quite following her, but he could see that she was very upset. "I told you that I was going to, eventually," he assured her. "Mayhap not today, but at some point soon. You are still part of me no matter what you think."

She let out a sharp sigh. "Please do not lie to me," she said. "No more lies, Cassian. Clearly you were not ready for my appearance or Max's. You have your life and you have your freedom. I would not impose on either."

His brow furrowed in utter bafflement. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"I am telling you that you may lead the life you wish to lead, but do not tell me lies because you think I wish to hear them."

"What lies have I told you?"

Brielle was becoming frustrated at his evasiveness. "I do not know all of them," she said. "Mayhap there is more than one. I am referring to the lie you told me about not having another woman in your bed since I was last there."

He scowled. "I haven't," he said strongly. "I wish you would be plain with what you mean."

Brielle was beginning to lose her composure and the tears that were so close to the surface began to rise. "Yesterday, I saw you leave the encampment after the mass competition."

He literally had no idea what she was driving at. "I did," he said. "You were already gone, however. You went with your father."

"I had not gone with my father yet," she fired back. "I went to help them load the wagon and when I returned, you were gone from the mass competition field."

"And?"

" And I went to the encampment because I thought you might have gone there," she said. "I wanted to bid you a farewell because, like a fool, I thought we were on the road to… something . Coming to know one another again, I suppose. You asked that you be allowed to earn your family back so I took that to mean we were building something again."

"We were," he said. "We are. Brielle, what is wrong ?"

He took a step towards her and she took a step back. When he realized she was moving away from him, he froze, watching her as she struggled with her emotions.

"I saw you leave the encampment," she said, her lower lip quivering. "I thought you might be looking for our group as we headed back to Lonsdale so I followed you to tell you that I had not gone with them. But you were moving so quickly that I could not catch up with you. I followed you all the way into London. Onto Candlewick Street."

A strange gleam came to his eyes. "That is not a safe place for a woman alone," he said. "You should have tried harder to catch up with me."

She shook her head. "Nay," she said. "I am glad I did not. If I had, I would not have seen the truth of what you really are."

He was still in the dark. "What do you mean? What did you see?"

Brielle took a deep breath. "I saw you go into a brothel on Angel Court."

There it was. What she'd been trying to tell him for the past few minutes. She had followed him onto Candlewick Street, an area lined with brothels and taverns. It also happened to be where de Bambeque's townhouse was. Although she didn't know that, she had assumed the worst. She'd seen him go into one of those dilapidated homes and she had assumed it was a brothel.

That he was a patron of brothels.

When he realized that, the world came crashing down.

Cassian could have explained the situation to her, but given her state of mind, he didn't think she would believe him. Given the fact that he'd abandoned her seven years ago, it was easy to think poorly of him. She had said that she would give him a chance to earn back his family, but one wrong move– one perceived lie– and she had already made up her mind about him. There was no going back.

He could just see it in her face.

Once again, Cassian had hurt her to the bone. Worse still, he didn't blame her. Any hope of reconciliation had been summarily smashed because he could see, by the look in her eyes, that she was never going to trust him not to hurt her ever again.

Not ever.

God, he wanted to die.

"I see," he finally muttered. "If that is what you think you saw, then I see no point in continuing this discussion."

She blinked unsteadily, as if she had expected more of an answer. "You will not deny it?"

His jaw flexed as he looked away. "Why?" he said. "You believe it to be true, so believe what you will. I am sure nothing I could say would convince you otherwise."

"And that is all you have to say to me?"

He shook his head. "Nay," he said, feeling his throat tighten with emotion as he looked at her. "I will say that I am thankful that we saw each other again after all of these years and that you allowed me to explain why I left in the first place. But I can see now that I had done more damage than I had realized, so let us part friends before any harsh words are spoken. I wish you a good life and much happiness, my lady, and should you find it within your heart someday, I would be grateful if you could tell Max who his father really is. Tell him… tell him that I love him even though I did not know him. I will always love him. And you. I will always love you, too, as the heart that beats within me. Farewell, Brielle."

With that, he simply turned away and headed back to the encampment, leaving Brielle standing there feeling lost and hollow and full of grief. It was even worse than when he'd left her the first time because, this time, she saw the anguish in his eyes. She saw the pain, the hardness, and the disappointment.

She saw it all.

She saw the end of everything.

Christopher found his daughter not ten minutes later, standing where Cassian had left her, crying her eyes out.