"Shh," Cassidy murmured, stroking her hair. "It's okay. You're okay. You told me. That's what matters."
"But I lied to you," Aria said between sobs. "For days. I looked you in the eye and lied."
"I know," Cassidy said, and her voice was thick with tears now too. "And we'll deal with that. But right now, what matters is that you're telling the truth now. That you trusted me enough to show me this."
She pulled back, cupping Aria's face in her hands. "Listen to me very carefully, little one. Everything Mira told you is a lie. We have never, ever held you back out of fear. Every restriction we've placed on your training has been for your safety, to make sure you develop your gift properly without hurting yourself."
"But what if she's right?" Aria asked. "What if there are things I could do that you haven't taught me?"
