Dorian‘s pov.

Cassian and I spent hours crafting the lie. It had to be airtight—every breath, every glance, every pause needed to sell it. Cassian paced the floor of the crumbling watchtower we had claimed as our base, while I leaned over the war table, eyes fixed on the worn-out map.

“The hunters had hidden her well,” I said aloud, rehearsing. “Their trap was perfectly set. We were caught in open terrain, exposed. It wasn’t even a full lie—that’s exactly how it ...