Marrying a Warhound (Cassian) novel Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Chapter 117

ATASHA’S POV

“I swear… it was Matron Yara who told me to come here,” Reina rasped, her voice shaking between sobs and ragged breaths. Blood still streaked down her face where Cassian had cut her, though the wound was already clotting.

Since he didn’t asked me to heal her, I didn’t move and just listen to Reina’s words. “She told me the consort is working with witches. She said, the Black Family is loyal to the west and doesn’t serve the werewolf king. She said nothing about the consort being a witch!” Her swollen eyes glared past me, fixed on Cassian with hatred. “Now kill me!”

Cassian didn’t move. His sword hung loosely at his side, his face unreadable. He looked at her as if her words meant nothing, as if she was already less than a person to him.

Reina sucked in a shaky breath and pushed on, her chains rattling. “Yara said the witches were behind all of this… that they had infiltrated the North. She told me the consort was one of them. That if I came here, I would see it myself. She promised it was the only way to protect the North.”

Her voice broke, and for the first time, I saw something other than hatred in her eyes. Grief.

“My sister,” she whispered. “The witches killed my little sister. She wasn’t even twelve… they took her from our home, used her in their curses, left what was left of her body in the river. Tell me how anyone is supposed to forgive that? Tell me why they shouldn’t burn for it?” She coughed, her breath uneven. “Matron Yara said witches should be punished. Every last one. That if I followed her guidance, the North would finally be free of them.”

Her head sagged against the wall, chains digging deeper into her raw wrists.

Cassian exhaled as though none of this surprised him. Then he finally spoke. “You’ve been used.”

Reina’s head snapped up, her face twisted with confusion and fury. “What do you mean used? I followed the Matron’s orders! She showed me who the real danger was!”

Before Cassian could answer, the words tore out of me. “The stone,” I said, my voice hoarse. My gaze locked on hers. “The one you saw… the one that brought the beasts here. That wasn’t mine. Lord Cassian asked me to find it and destroy it. That’s what I was doing.”

Her body jolted, a harsh laugh bursting from her throat. “That’s impossible! It was you–I saw it! You were using it!”

I shook my head. “No. Matron Yara wanted you to come because she knew your father would follow you. She used you, Reina. She knew Halden Morrow would never let his daughter walk into danger alone. She wanted both of you here. And when the beasts overran this place, she would have wiped her hands clean and called it fate. She wanted you dead. Both of you.”

Her eyes went wide, disbelief splintering her face. “No… that can’t be true. Matron Yara cares about the North. She cares more than anyone!”

I said nothing this time. Maybe because I could see in Reina’s face what I didn’t want to admit out loud, that

10:04 Thu, Sep 25 …

Chapter 117

she was clinging to the only thing left that made her feel justified.

Cassian said nothing either.

“Impossible,” Reina’s eyes went wild. “How dare you lie to me! Why don’t you just kill me, instead?” she rasped, voice raw. “I’ve said everything. Just end this. I don’t want to feel anymore. I would rather die than hear your lies!”

Her plea staggered the small room. The chains clinked as she huddled inward, body shaking. She bared her teeth in a broken, animal half–smile and spat, “I don’t want to wake up to this. I don’t want another day of this. Do it. End it. Take your satisfaction and be done.”

10:04 Thu, Sep 25 M…

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