Cassian's POV

The balcony had become my refuge in recent days—a place where I could observe without being observed, where the mask of kingship could slip without consequence.

I stood there a few minutes ago, hands gripped tight on the stone railing, watching the road that led from the Darklands. The rescue party had been gone for hours. Too many hours. Each minute that passed felt like an eternity, my mind conjuring worst-case scenarios despite knowing that Caleb and Kin were more than ...