Solution: Six of Crows
Answer: FIREBREATHER
Written by Ethan
The flavor text hints to "look inside". The clues each hint at two words, where the first word is the middle substring of the second, with an extra leading and trailing letter. This mechanic is confirmed by the flavor text, where "nINa" has the middle word "in". Noticing that there is a letter on either side of each inner word, keep track of what these letters are. Together, they all spell "ANSWER IS FIREBREATHER," so FIREBREATHER.
The / indicates the separation between the inner clue / outer clueClue Answer Extracted letters Deceive / a foreigner (5) aLIEn AN Deny / precipitation (4) sNOw SW Trot with / a runaway lover (6) eLOPEr ER Sorcerer / in photographs (6) iMAGEs IS A curve / is stuffed with food (5) fARCi FI Always / feel admiration (6) rEVERe RE Measurement / of door supervisor (7) bOUNCEr BR Metal vein / of water plant (6) eLODEa EA Spicy / Egyptian god (5) tHOTh TH A lake / is more frightening (6) eERIEr ER