Daphne's mouth fell open in shock. She couldn't believe her ears. No, Jean had to be lying. That's what he did― he was a liar through and through, and Daphne would be a fool to believe him again.
But if his wings were missing, that would explain Zephyr's sudden deterioration. She knew better than anyone how proud Zephyr was of his plumage. He loved soaring through the skies. If he had lost this ability, it would have been a fate worse than death.
And it wasn't as though Atticus didn't have prior experience in robbing precious organs from magical creatures. Nereus's missing eye came to mind, and Daphne felt her knees weaken. Her hands reached out to the walls of the fallen rubble for support, her breath coming out in sharp pants.
