Varon did not seem to find Kael's last sentence amusing.
In fact, he kept staring at the First Archive page as though expecting it to disappear, be corrected, or—by some mercy that clearly was not coming—reveal that the loss of Aldren's authority had no consequences beyond Meridia.
The inscription remained far too firm for that.
AUTHORITY DEPENDENCY: INTERRUPTED.
Irelia reached the page before Kael did.
She did not touch it. She only crouched enough to observe the new lines beginning to appear beneath the title.
The First Archive did not explain danger, did not provide instructions, and certainly did not seem interested in making things easier for them.
It merely recorded what had changed.
"Varon," she said without taking her eyes off the page. "Start from the beginning. What is the Garden of Bones?"
The agent kept his lips shut.
Kael turned toward him.
"We don't need to make this part difficult."
"You're going to torture me?"
"No."
Varon looked surprised.
