Orchestrated Deception

Lyra blinked, letting each word settle, each strategy imprint itself in her mind. Danger thrummed in the air, but it no longer paralyzed her. Instead, a sharp focus anchored her—she belonged here, in this fight, by his side.

Kaelen’s hand slipped from her cheek as he leaned back, eyes dark and calculating. “That trip triggered something—it caught his attention. We knew it was risky, but it had to