They stayed one more day in the valley.
Nobody formally proposed it.
Nobody argued against it either.
By morning, Mara had already decided the crystal formations deserved a proper record before they moved north.
Not value.
Not yield.
A record.
She sat cross-legged beside the nearest cluster with a ruler improvised from one of Valerica's marked strips of wood, charcoal balanced across one knee, working through angles and growth patterns with the same concentration she once reserved for structures that might collapse if she misunderstood them.
She'd already redone the first measurement twice. Not because anyone asked her to. Because the number had looked wrong to her the first time, and looking wrong was reason enough.
Nyx joined her sometime after breakfast.
"You don't have to help."
"I know."
Mara drew another line.
"It's not exciting work."
"That's fine."
Mara looked up.
