Valkyrie huffs dramatically and flops onto the floor, making Celeste chuckle. “Even the dog’s exhausted just thinking about it,” she murmurs.

The giant watches the exchange, one brow raised. “Cassie,” he muses, his voice low and even. “That’s the woman she framed?”

I nod.

“She still in town?”

“Yeah,” I answer. “She almost lost her job, but she has a house up near the mountain.”

Goliath hums in acknowledgment, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Convenient for Aubrey. She’s going to test you. If she’s as good as you say, she’ll sniff out any uncertainty and use it.” His eyes flick to Orion. “This operation requires control. Are we sure everyone here can handle that?”

I look up at him, meeting his gaze. “We don’t have a choice.”

He studies me for a beat before nodding slightly. “Good answer.”

“Yeah, yeah, Lucy, we get it. Control is key,” Orion says, smirking slightly.

The guy’s entire body tenses. His jaw tightens, and he shifts just slightly like he’s debating whether it’s worth it to react.

“Don’t call me that,” he mutters.

Orion just grins. “It’s a term of endearment.”

“No, it’s not, it’s demeaning.” His voice is low, warning.

Selene tilts her head. “So why do you get away with it?”

Orion shrugs. “Because I’m me.”

I shake my head, exhaling sharply. “And people think I have issues.”

That earns a few chuckles, but the laughter fades fast, the reality of what we’re about to do settling back in. It’s like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing we have to jump but not knowing how hard we’re going to hit the ground.

Selene shakes her head. “She doesn’t need to crumble. She just needs to slip up. Give us an angle we can use.”

Bennett nods. “She will. She’s been careful for years, but that doesn’t last forever. People like her, they think they’re invincible. That’s when they get reckless.”

Mo straightens up. “So what’s the approach? Just hit her with everything at once?”

“No,” Orion says immediately. “We lead her into it. Let her think she’s in control of the conversation. If we push too hard, too fast, she’ll shut down or turn it on us.”

I let out a slow breath. “So we let her talk. Let her think she has the upper hand.”

Bennett smirks slightly. “Then we take it from her.”

The Mountain leans against the doorframe, watching us carefully. “Have you ever done this before?”

“No,” I admit.

He snorts. “Figured.”

Celeste tilts her head, studying him. “And what exactly do you bring to the table, Lucy?”

The temperature in the room shifts.

The Behemoth’s smirk vanishes. His eyes cut to her, sharp as a knife, and for a second, I wonder if she’s about to regret that question.