The following day, Kaelor returned to the inner laboratory to collect the pill he had left beside the jars. The heavy iron door clicked shut with a muffled metallic snap as he left again.
Outside in the corridor, Grandmaster Kaelor’s excited boots clattered away down the marble hallway. The old alchemist was clutching a red brocade box against his chest. He was practically skipping toward the Seventh Spire to show Grandmaster Volkov his new eighty-eight percent pill.
The four armored guards stationed by Lieutenant Drev remained outside the heavy doors. They stood like bronze statues, holding their spears and ignoring everything within.
Inside the quiet room, Kaelen Vance lifted the edge of his straw hat with one finger.
“Is he gone?” Kaelen asked.
“He just stepped onto the sky-bridge,” Sera Thorne said from the doorway. Her voice was flat, sharp, and cold as broken glass. Her fingers were still resting on the hilt of her bone dagger. “He told the guards that nobody is allowed to disturb your nap until sunset.”
Elder Sterling stood near the far wall. The former swordmaster stared at the hidden seam of the stone cupboard with hollow, bloodshot eyes. His knuckles were bone-white against the leather wrap of his scabbard.
