The film played, but Lena was no longer watching. The haunting score and stunning visuals faded into a dull roar as the text message burned in her mind. 'Say hello to Thomas for me.'9 He was here, in this room of trusted allies, a viper nestled at the heart of their celebration. Every gasp from the audience at a poignant moment, every quiet sniffle during Elara’s darkest hour, felt like intelligence being fed directly to the enemy.

She forced herself to remain still, a statue in the ...