*Lyra*
The porch boards creak beneath us as we settle into the shade of dusk. The yellow paint of the old house peels in curling strips. Beyond the steps, Reed chases a toad through the tall grass, his laughter cutting through the quiet every so often.
Serena leans back against the porch railing. “We need to move quickly,” she says. “Kaelen’s people are speaking freely about him now, but they might not be for long.”
Mitch rests his back against the post, arms folded, trying to look confident. He glances at Serena and then back at me. “So… what’s the cover?”
“You’ll pose as couriers delivering messages and parcels from nobles and guilds outside Running River,” I reply. “I forged a stack of them last night. They’re just props.”
Reed squeals at the lively toad in the grass, and Mitch
