Tempting the billionaire

mmered each time someone lied within range. Seraphina only noticed because she was

f composure in far worse places-training camps cloaked in illusion, archive

se places had D

n he returned from his meeting, the air adjusted to acc

," he said wit

tegorized by magical affiliation. Security logs

that in t

effic

pression unreadable. "Or

dn't blink.

mouth twitched. Al

ss in anyone who

the opportunit

lass desk. "Careful, Miss Vale. Tha

if I l

jacket shifting like ink und

ring that hummed underfoot. He led her through a side door into an eleva

ing sigil. The lift dropped-not with

atics of magical networks, contracts inked in blood-pacts, and territorial maps o

he War Roo

name for a

k." His gaze turned shar

king it all in. "You

rs. Hidden kingdoms. Corporate alliances posing as friend

's pulse

eports. She was now inside the spine of his

oser, eyes lo

ing anyone

y m

red that out ye

"What if I'm not w

I know. People are equations. You

ed. "Then

mpt me, M

ng p

tle s

ed away

The luxury wasn't lost on her-polished marble, walls laced with silent wards, curtains woven from

flame with her fingerti

me to the

ickered into the shape of

eeper tha

f schedule. Tha

s voice turned g

Not just for her-but for the plan. For her resolve. Darius

ruined people withou

ht've already started u

is," she whisper

ished it, her hands

g, she found a

quill. Sleek. Bla

beside

are sharper than

sh. Just an acknowledgm

smiled faintly, and walked int

on my desk," she sa

asn't a

N

was re

timida

the same thing, depending

wasn't flirtation-it was strategy. Every word between them

pany me to the Vaul

s the

'll

y hexes so ancient they glowed with age. At the bottom stood a

nd to the seal. It pe

ves stretched into nothingness, packed with scrolls,

. "You collect f

ect lev

owly. "Why br

voice. "Because there's somet

ine st

. "Trust is fragile. Respect c

a glowing document that hovered

runes. If you succeed, y

if I

ou lied on y

alke

of magic designed to twist

ll-she

nge ac