lection" dawned gr

in the grand hall

gh-tech Aethel Corp bassine

ng them. My heart ached look

ium, Cassandra at his side,

a leash, a "therapy animal" she claime

nough, but something abou

, of Aethel Corp's com

to Cassandra's child,

who he inte

ll as an older woma

Thorne. Th

werful, estr

ock. She rarely atten

tightened almos

lly to him, then too

rward. "Mrs. Genevieve Thorne has graciously offered to overs

ent throug

e. "Of course. Trans

made. My br

. "The recipient of this year's Thorn

dra' s

lling in her eyes. "Oh, Da

d, pulling h

ect. Just like before, exce

, ch

dog" suddenly snarled,

bark. It was a vic

he line of bassinets,

t for m

ast people, throwing myself

ed into me, t

h my arm as its cl

babies, shielding

orward, pulling the

dripping from deep

re wailing,

ed over, bu

Cassandra, who was s

r done anything like this!

o me, his face

you try to harm Cassandra's c

o swift, so unjus

y babies," I stammered,

he scene, her expression u

ying the victim, and Dami

lating, twisting into