The Veil Between Lies

dare speak aloud-things like spells,

t people

r all, kille

e'd watched her mother wield before the Purge-but the pale echoes of it: relics locked behind glass, enchanted scrolls that no longer sang, and shattered rune

not spell-mark, because even a flicker of power would trigger the sensors. The government had done a thorough jo

thought to che

merly active. Found on corpse in District E

her pen, t

ir shifted

turned

hin

urity cameras blinked red. Even the hea

ckle at the base of her neck. M

within her chest, not he

y

under her arm. The moment she touched it, the

e mother's voice, long dead an

to you. Listen,

n the containment tray and

shimmered under glamor shields, and shadows moved too quickly

eclared the city cle

chivist by day, and Nyx, il

t, Nyx had

Hours

led with ten layers of glamour. Inside, the lights flickered with violet ha

l etched in gold. Her long brown curls were piled high, and a half-mask disguised the sha

y p

ting on a glowing cocktail that fizzed

n he wa

h of legality. Dark hair slicked back. A

with the perfect record. The bastard responsible for at l

blood

as a Council do

se. Why would he? By day, she wa

from her witho

're

depends. Are you here for absol

mething darker than interest.

ng her thundering pulse

a law

criminal. Y

lood wards.

rds were illegal, rare, and

protecting?

dn't

h across the table. Inside, she coul

ym

ou do realize what you're a

led?

Cold steel. No f

elp her, s

r That

Cassian's name, his true intent, a physical anchor-but mostly, she needed to

te herself, sh

ul. Untouchable. And yet, somethi

yx unless they were

bath laced with spell-salt. The water turned deep

-one she was born with. On

ooked at her

was imp

ess

n't let her m

: Cassian's

whiskey, ignoring the file

t: Eli

e:

ive assistant, C

ion: Unc

ance sta

ed to th

of the woman who had sat across from

he k

was

s going t

rn wi

e Days

d ward w

e Sanctum wearing the s

our jacket,

ow. "Not even

protecti

ng a scar on his f

nd traced the ward over his veins, murmuring the ancient language th

tared at her. "What do

r pa

what do you want pr

urned

like

at the

h in place?"

look up. "She

as the

's b

t Scene of C

xt morning, weary and unguarded, only

had be

mlock Ring

at in it

ivist. But the one that ki

ands

nly one playing

assia

not be he

be her ex