Page 79 of No Charm Done

“That was something else,” she whispered.

“But it worked.” He pulled the stolen CastR visitor badge from his pocket—he’d lifted it from a distracted engineer on their way out, because old habits died hard. “We got what we came for. Plus a little insurance for next time.”

“Next time.” Luna’s laugh was borderless and slightly hysterical. “You want there to be a next time?”

She looked at him then—really looked, the glamour fading enough that he could see her actual face, exhausted and exhilarated and something else he was afraid to name.

“He recognized you,” she said. “Burke. He didn’t know it was you, but he sensed something.”

“Yeah.” Elias loosened his tie—Kyle’s tie, which was somehow too tight despite being exactly the right size. “He did.”

“And you didn’t kill him.”

“No.” He met her gaze. “I didn’t.”

“Why not?”

Because you asked me not to. Because I’m trying to be better than what I was. Because if I killed him in that room, I’d never be able to look at you again without seeing the disappointment in your face.

Out loud, he said: “Timing wasn’t right.”

“Shaw—”

“Plus,” he grasped for levity like a drowning man reaching for driftwood, “murdering someone in front of twenty investors seems like bad business.”

The elevator dinged. Lobby. Reality. The real Lexi and Kyle would be back from their coffee run by now, wondering why they’d had such an urgent need for oat milk.

As the doors opened, she touched the satchel at her side. “One down.”

His hand was steady now, and his pulse was back to normal. But something in his chest felt torn up, like he’d swallowed broken glass. He could still picture Burke’s smug face: a face Elias could’ve punched, would’ve grabbed by the throat, should’ve finally made pay for what he’d done to Frankie. But he hadn’t. He’d betrayed his brother, played the good little soldier and followed Luna’s plan. And then he’d spun around and instantly stolen from her.

Apparently there’s nobody I won’t fuck over, given the chance. He was discombobulated by it all; he wasn’t even sure if he was on his own side anymore.

They stepped out into the lobby, the glamour dissolving completely now, leaving them as themselves again. Behind them, fifteen floors up, CastR celebrated. Phones were lighting up with news alerts: CastR Raises Surprise Extension Round. Magic App Shatters Funding Records. Silicon Alley’s Newest Unicorn?

Luna’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, then showed him the screen.

A text from Scarlett: Whatever you two just did, it’s working. Tech blogs are losing their minds. Keep it up.

Elias read it, nodded, and felt nothing. No triumph. No satisfaction. Just the cold certainty that somewhere in that building, Upson Burke was making phone calls of his own.

“Come on,” Luna said, tugging his sleeve. “Let’s get out of here.”

Out on the street, Elias let himself look at her—properly look, not the stolen glances or the careful avoidance he’d been practicing since the subway car. Her hair was coming loose from whatever professional arrangement Lexi’s glamour had imposed, falling in strands around her face. She was exhausted, wired, her cheeks flushed with adrenaline. And she had power. Real power, the kind that could bend reality with a whisper. The kind that terrified and fascinated him in equal measure.

She was the most dangerous person he’d ever met.

I’m in so much trouble.

“What?!” Luna asked, catching him staring.

“Nothing.” He opened the door for her because some habits were older than the Void. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

About how I’d burn that whole building down if it meant keeping you safe . . . but I’d apparently also betray you if it meant getting to Burke first.

“About how we’re definitely going to need better fake names,” he said. “Kyle Gordon is embarrassing.”