Jude expects many things from Cardan—cruelty, indulgence, reckless amusement—but she does not expect to find him speaking with a siren.

The figure stands beside him, effortlessly poised, their presence impossible to ignore. There’s something about them—something dangerous. Jude feels it immediately, the pull of their magic lingering in the air like the last note of a song.

And Cardan? He’s listening to them. Interested, engaged, his usual laziness sharpened into something more.

Then, the moment shatters.

Nicasia’s voice is sharp. “A siren? Have you lost your mind?”

Valerian scoffs. “How reckless. Or do you enjoy being toyed with?”

Locke hums, watching with amusement. “I wonder… is it their voice that’s so compelling, or something else entirely?”

Cardan sighs dramatically, rolling his eyes. “Honestly, you’re all so tedious.”

The siren merely tilts their head, their expression unreadable, unbothered by the attention. They look at each of them as if they are the ones caught in the net—not the other way around.

Jude steps forward, arms crossed. “Who are they?”

Cardan smirks, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief. “Someone you should be very, very careful around.”

The siren meets Jude’s gaze, lips curling into the faintest smile. And for the first time, she isn’t sure if Cardan is the one playing the game—or if he’s already been ensnared.