Cassie's memory flashed briefly back to when she, her mother, and Diana had gone to talk to Julia Kapatelis about her daughter and how she might have come to become the new Silver Swan. She hadn't been much help and comforting Julia, but she had found some useful information snooping through Vanessa's room and diary. That wasn't going to be an option here. But she could do better now.

"It's perfectly understandable that you'd believe him," she said softly. "No one wants to think someone they love could do something like to someone they're supposed care about and want to protect, even if they're doing awful things to other people."

She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "I really wish we could just magically wave a wand and fix all this. I really do."