Kali traced the cut across Elion's palm again. When she reached the point where the fragment sat embedded in the stone, he closed his fingers around hers.
"There. Feel that?"
She waited through a full revolution of the bands. Eight beats passed beneath her feet, followed by the familiar hesitation before the ninth.
"The fragment moved," she said.
"Kurogoroshi is still in storage."
Kali looked at the sliver. A hair's breadth of black showed above the stone, scarcely enough for her to have noticed the difference. The Worldheart had raised it of its own accord.
She let another revolution pass. The fragment settled to its original depth. On the next, it lifted again, precisely when Elion would have summoned his sword had they repeated their earlier attempt.
"It's anticipating us."
"Is that unusual for a formation?"
"Some can learn the habits of an intruder. Mine could tell the difference between one of my servants coming home and something wearing his skin."
