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“Ashur,” you say softly, “let’s not get Tarquin killed.”

Dorian lays a hand on his arm; you take his other elbow and draw him back. At first, Ashur protests, but Neve stills him with a look.

“I’ve got a plan,” she says. “Trust me. We’re not leaving him behind.”

You and Dorian are assigned to create a distraction. The plan: to sneak up on the magister as though you intend to try to free Tarquin—but do it as badly as possible. “I don’t want you to succeed,” says Neve. “I just want him to believe you’re trying.”

Meanwhile, Ashur will go with Neve. She doesn’t explain exactly what she intends to do, only that she’ll need Ashur ready with his strongest control spells… and as much healing as he can manage. “Just in case,” she says with an enigmatic smile.

You rustle as loudly as possible as you skirt around the magister, eyes locked on Tarquin; Dorian makes a few muffled exclamations of offense as branches of various shrubs poke at his sides. You definitely have the magister’s attention and suspicion…

… and that’s when Neve unfreezes the demon.

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