Casaio returned to the palace that evening with a grim expression. Hours of interrogation had yielded nothing, the captured hunters hadn't uttered a single word.
"Cas, I've been waiting for you," Zilia said the moment she saw him, her steps quick as she crossed the room.
He frowned, reading the tension in her face. "Is everything alright? How's Idris?"
"He's fine," she replied, shaking her head. "But this isn't about him."
"What is it then?" Casaio asked, concern sharpening his voice.
"Why don't you sit down first?" Zilia gestured toward the bed, already moving to the small table nearby. She poured him a glass of water and handed it over once he'd settled down.
Casaio took a few slow gulps, still watching her. "Zilia, you're worrying me. What happened?"
