A thin veil of pale indigo mist drifted across the cavern mouth, swallowing the Commander’s laughter before the sound could echo against the crags.
Claire Vance stood by the entrance with her palms turned toward the ceiling. Her Saint Vessel Qi spun in quiet ribbons, weaving seven translucent Void Lotus petals across the opening.
The petals locked together with a muted chime. Outside, the howling mountain wind died down. The Garrison Commander’s muffled curses faded into absolute silence.
“That will hold back the vibration,” Claire said softly, stepping back from the boundary. “The sound won’t wake him.”
Sera Thorne sat on a flat boulder nearby, her boots resting against the damp gravel. She snapped open the silver lid of her pocket watch with a sharp click of her thumb.
The twin hands showed exactly dawn.
“Thirty-five hours until their orbital weapon finishes charging,” Sera said. She dipped a charcoal pencil into a pot of black ink and pulled out her leather-bound ledger. “That means thirty-five hours of quiet.”
Mina Vance curled on a woven rug near the central hearth, watching the blue flame flicker under a copper kettle. She pulled her wool cloak tighter around her shoulders.
