He's never let me down. Cassandra looks away at that, with one hard blink, and schools her face to stay still -- which is a good thing, because it means she's able to not flinch at when he thought I was dead.

(She's not going to say out loud what she's hoping for. If anyone's listening, best they not be prepared for it.)

"Well," she says briskly, smiling again, "I do look forward to meeting him, then."