Alix glances at the top floor of an apartment building, staring at the couple shagging against the window. Even from here she can see the pleasure on the man’s face, his breath misting the glass.

That would be an infinitely better way to spend the day than completing the mission she has planned. She can imagine Agent Rein holding her like that, gripping her as he kisses her throat.

But it will never happen. Love is strictly forbidden for the spies of Avalon Tower. The problem is, banning desire doesn’t douse the heat. If anything, it fuels it. Sometimes Alix thinks all the Avalon spies are unsatisfied, obsessed, lost in fantasies. Today especially, her head isn’t in the game—even though Fey soldiers probably lurk all around this place, waiting to run their swords through agents like her.

Distraction is death, she reminds herself.

She turns away, scanning the street for signs of her Fey enemies. She doesn’t see anything amiss. In fact, it all looks perfectly calm, picturesque and quaint. Wrought iron balconies overhang the cobbled alley. Here in the South of France, the scent of lavender mingles with the brine of the sea. The streets of this coastal town are ancient, stony, labyrinthine. At the bottom of the sloping road, wisps of fog curl over the Mediterranean. A café overlooks the sea—Café de la Forêt Enchantée. The meeting point is by the back door.

She peers out across the outdoor tables, where a pretty woman with raven hair is eating cake and flirting with a waiter. Alix feels a pang of jealousy. For normal women—those who aren’t spies trying to save the world—love is always a possibility.

Focus, Alix.

Still, a picture of serenity around her. No sign of the Fey soldiers. But no sign of Rein, either.

A church bell tolls, making her heart skip a beat. Rein should be here. He’s usually early.

She takes a slow, calming breath. She’s always thinking of him, which is exactly why love is forbidden in the first place. It takes your mind off the mission and leads to stupid decisions. She’s never told him how she feels, how she seems to always be looking for him. Every time she sees a reflection, she checks the glass to verify she isn't being followed, but she’s hoping to see his boyish smile. Whenever she walks into the dining hall at Avalon Tower, she scans the room for his slender form. She’s always coming up with excuses to get close to him, but she can never quite tell if he feels the same about her.