Cyra_Ciur

A prince who wants to disappear. An assassin who doesn't know she's working for him. A masquerade that hides more than just faces.

The invitation arrives without a sender. Four names. No instructions. Just a time, a place, and the unshakable feeling that once they step in, there's no way out.

Red has spent years perfecting the art of staying in the shadows—efficient, untraceable, and always in control. Until one reckless decision forces her into a game she didn't sign up for. The target? A missing prince. The catch? He's the one who hired her.

Dalia never wanted to get involved. But when she receives an invitation wrapped in secrecy, she realizes she's already part of something much bigger. The past she buried is clawing its way back, and the people she trusted might be the ones pulling the strings.

With hidden agendas, shifting alliances, and a deadly masquerade looming, nothing is as it seems. And when the masks come off, survival won't be about strength—it'll be about knowing who to trust before it's too late.

The game has begun. And not everyone will make it out alive.

Crimson Lies by Ciur

Sunlight crawled through the thick hotel curtains, cutting through the dimness in golden streaks. The scent of coffee still lingered in the air, bitter and grounding, but Dalia barely noticed.

She was still staring at the screen.

You're invited to a night in honor of the lost. Those who weren't meant to be forgotten.

Two names. Two people. No explanation.

She had spent the last night trying to piece together a pattern that wasn't there. William was easy to place—he had always been close to this mess. But André?

André was supposed to disappear.

Lucas had come to her, asked her to wipe every trace of André from existence. Erase him. Get him on a flight. Make sure no one could ever find him.

Because André hadn't disappeared yet. And someone clearly knew he wasn't meant to be here much longer.

Dalia leaned back against the headboard, arms crossed as she let the realization sink in.

This invitation wasn't random. He had been watching. He had known exactly who to name.

She sucked in a slow breath, forcing her heartbeat to steady.

Her mind whirred, replaying every conversation with Lucas, every plan they had gone over. They had covered everything. Fake IDs, flight paths, digital footprints—nothing was left to chance. But now…

Now, he had decided to make a move before André even had the chance to run.

Her gaze flickered to the laptop again, to the deep red of the invitation. The gold seal. The carefully chosen words.

The word curled in her chest, unsettling.

Was this an invitation?

She exhaled sharply, pushing the laptop shut.

Lucas would be looking for answers, just as she was. But she wasn't going to him—not yet. She needed someone in the middle of this mess.

She wasn't sure what he'd know—if anything—but he was the closest thing to a lead she had. And if there was even a chance he could help her untangle this, she had to take it.

Dalia swung her legs over the side of the bed, rolling out the tension in her shoulders.

This wasn't just a game anymore.

Someone had changed the rules—quietly, deliberately.

A favor had been called in, cloaked in silk and shadow.

And Dalia knew exactly who whispered the request.

Some names tasted like betrayal on the tongue.

And some debts were paid in silence.

The Debt