The second figure stepped out from behind the hanging armor, and Bram forgot the return signal.
He knew its equipment before he could make himself look at the shape inside it. A narrow shoulder guard with a triangular repair. The old issue belt, shortened by a second set of holes. A wrist fastening Corin had complained about and continued to wear because replacing it meant waiting through another quartermaster’s queue.
Bram’s mouth opened. Nothing came out.
The figure stopped beside the rack. It had not raised a weapon. One hand hung near a damaged strap, still enough to make the worn equipment look like a man waiting for someone to finish speaking.
The Aegis fighter at the front brought his blade up.
Sera moved to the protected side of his sightline, not between his weapon and a possible attack.
“Hold distance,” she said. “Watch its hands. Nobody moves closer.”
“The first one didn’t warn us.”
