Cassian 's pov

The morning sun was weak, barely rising above the horizon. The trees in the forest were still dark silhouettes against the sky, and the air felt heavy. I needed to get to Vanessa’s grave before the world fully woke.

I wasn’t ready to see her.

But the guilt was eating at me, gnawing at my insides like an unrelenting hunger. I couldn’t escape it. Not anymore.

I pulled my cloak tighter around me and made my way toward the edge of the forest. The graveyard lay hidden ...