The thread fell before the clock reached its mark.
It dropped through the cradle and lay crooked across the stone beneath it. The air inside the ring gave one last visible shiver. Then the field was gone, leaving the workshop lamps looking abruptly ordinary.
“Cutoff,” said the operator.
Her hand was already moving. The automatic break clicked before she reached the second control. On the independent instrument, the draw fell away. Tessa watched the contributors rather than the empty ring.
“Hands free. Tell me if anything feels wrong.”
Eli took a step toward the frame and stopped when Juno lifted her palm.
“Don’t touch it.”
Along the pale collar, the sheen had thickened into a dark wet-looking line. Nothing dripped. The surface seemed to hold its own shadow. The dungeon engineer bent nearer without crossing the boundary, then motioned for the observer to note the time of the collapse.
