The alley was quiet save for the distant hum of the city—a low, steady pulse that seemed to echo in the shadows. Cassian’s steps were deliberate, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket as his hood concealed most of his face. The lingering chill from his earlier breakdown clung to him, like an invisible shroud.

Then he saw him.

A man stood at the end of the alley, leaning casually against the brick wall as though he owned the place. The faint glow of a nearby streetlamp barely touched his sharp features, but Cassian recognized him immediately.

“Fancy seeing you here, Cassian,” the man said, his voice carrying an edge of amusement.

Cassian stopped mid-stride, his posture stiffening as his eyes narrowed. “What do you want, David?”

David shrugged with exaggerated nonchalance, pushing off the wall and sauntering closer. His every movement screamed confidence, the kind that grated on Cassian’s nerves.

“Relax,” David said with a grin, lifting his hands in mock surrender. “No need to get all prickly. Just thought I’d drop by and say hello.”

Cassian’s glare deepened as David came closer. When David extended a hand toward him, Cassian instinctively took a step back, his body coiled like a spring.

“Don’t touch me,” he snapped, his voice sharper than a blade.

David froze for a moment, then chuckled as though Cassian’s reaction was some kind of joke. “You never change, do you?” he said, shaking his head. “Anyway, I’ve got a job for you.”

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Cassian’s eyes narrowed further, his gaze locking onto David with a mix of suspicion and disdain. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, only watched as if trying to see through the man standing before him.

David, unfazed, stuffed his hands into his pockets and tilted his head slightly. “Oh, come on,” he said, grinning. “Don’t always doubt me. We’ve been working together for, what… three years? You’d think you’d trust me by now.”

“Trust you?” Cassian said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “That’s rich.”

David laughed, a low, throaty sound that echoed off the walls of the alley. “Fair enough,” he said. “But I’m serious this time. This one’s a big call.”

Cassian tilted his head, the faintest glint of curiosity flashing in his eyes. “Huh? What’s the job? Murder someone? Or something like that?”

David smirked, his expression bordering on mischievous. “Nothing that messy,” he said, glancing to his left and then to his right before leaning in slightly. “You just have to steal something.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow. “Steal something,” he repeated, his tone flat.

David nodded, the grin never leaving his face.

“And what something?” Cassian pressed, his voice growing sharp. “From the way you’re talking, it sounds pretty risky. The reward must be big to have you this excited. So tell me, what’s the job—and what’s my cut?”

David’s smirk widened as he met Cassian’s gaze. “Cautious as always,” he said, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. “Alright, I’ll tell you. You have to steal a crown.”

Cassian blinked, his brows knitting together. “A crown?” he said, his voice laced with confusion.

David’s grin turned sly. “Not just any crown,” he said. “The crown of our missing crown prince.”

For a moment, silence hung between them, thick and heavy. Cassian’s expression didn’t shift, but the tension in his stance spoke volumes.

“And you think I can pull this off?” Cassian finally said, his tone calm but laced with challenge.

“Of course,” David replied smoothly. “If anyone can, it’s you. And for the reward… fifty percent. What do you say?”

Cassian’s lips pressed into a thin line as he weighed the proposal. The crown of the missing prince? This wasn’t just risky—it was borderline suicidal. But fifty percent of the reward… whatever it was, it had to be monumental for David to even consider cutting him in.

He crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing once again as he studied David. “Give me the details,” he said. “I’ll decide after that.”

David chuckled, clearly satisfied. “That’s what I like about you, Cassian. Always the strategist.”

But Cassian didn’t smile. His instincts screamed that this wasn’t just another job. This was trouble, wrapped in gold and polished with lies. And if there was one thing Cassian had learned, it was that trouble never came without a cost.