Lucian’s frustration had reached a new peak. Upstairs, in the corridors of Sterling Tower, the twins moved like shadows of lethal precision, but the subtle patterns of his soldiers’ missteps were becoming impossible to ignore. Every time a flanking attack or a feint seemed perfect, the enemy—his carefully trained men—would falter in ways that betrayed unseen interference.

He hissed under his breath, rage sharpening his voice. “Something’s wrong… something’s controlling this ...