The water reached the orange strip on Nadir’s pack as Kellan stepped toward the ledge.
“PAUSE,” Sera said.
A stone slipped from the brick arch and struck the current. Kellan stopped at the last stable mark, one hand against the wall. Beckett checked the temporary support beneath the slab. The support had not moved, but the arch had shed enough material to make the route to the pack less certain.
Tessa kept Nadir seated while she checked his ankle and the dressing on his arm. The signed amendment and comparison sheet were secured in a waterproof sleeve inside his jacket. The loose notes remained in the pack on the ledge.
“Can you reach it with the pole?” Tessa asked.
Kellan extended the short pole. It touched the pack handle but could not hook the strap. He fitted a small hook to the end and tried again. The handle slid off the wet stone and caught on the hook.
“Slowly,” Sera said.
He drew the pack toward him. Water splashed across the bottom before he lifted it clear. Sera took it at the stable mark and passed it to Beckett, who placed it in a larger protective bag. They could not tell how many pages inside had become wet without opening it in the passage.
