Lethira remains beneath the afternoon sun, her loosened veil stirring against her narrow face. The caravan travelers wait nearby, while Bren keeps watch at the terrace entrance.
Lethira
Let us test the boundary carefully. I will speak of one memory, and the Hall may witness whether it changes. No probing, no compulsion.
Mara steps toward the terrace stones and traces a circle of pale blue light around the gathering. The ward settles lightly, protective rather than confining.
Mara
The circle will preserve what is spoken without reaching into anyone’s mind. If the Auditor touches the memory, we should see the disturbance.
The Caravan Master
I will describe everything I remember. She arrived after dusk, wore a dark traveling coat, and carried a slate that seemed to reject its own writing.
Lethira
Begin with her first question. If the memory loosens, stop speaking and let Mara mark the change.
The Hall’s wards hum beyond the terrace, and sunlight lies undisturbed across the stones. The test awaits Kynes’s presence and choice, with no answer yet forced.