ena

ancient oak, watching the narrow dirt path. I had secretly paid three low-ranking War

Lyra tumbled into a bed of muddy leav

h the shadows, my sce

tea. A few minutes later, Silas lurched from his study with such violence that his chair scra

ing his coat. "An emergen

acid concern, while my free hand pressed the activatio

before the d

ening device in his coat lining

You are assuming the role of Alph

self a small,

ed in Silas's spare clothes. He looked exhausted, his attem

sly relaxed the guard on my own scent, allowing it to spill

r a fraction of a second, his pupil

urred, winding my a

gid. "Luna... I must pr

t to me, eyes avoiding mine. I took the cup, maintaining unwavering eye contact. Then,

fell slack

upstairs. I require your assistance in ch

looking-glass. Gideon remained by the d

se, allowing the silk to whisper down my shoulders and pool at my fe

knuckles white. The veins in his neck stood out like thick cords. A brutal war was being wag

squeezed his eyes shut. "You

phone buzzed. A text from

o a territory with no extradition treaty.

to Silas's study. The door was aj

annot compel me to maintain this charade fo

r open. Gideon d

oom, locked the

his true name for the first time.

tending? Do you wish to

swer. He did

ast chain broke - and the wo

d next... I ne