The reading came faster this time.
Vane felt it begin the same way it had at Verrin's Landing — old stone taking stock of them, tracing each current in turn with that strange, patient attention that never quite felt like magic.
Only now it seemed to know what it was looking for.
Ashe's read came and went almost immediately.
Valerica's lingered a breath longer.
Isole's touched both currents at once and moved on without hesitation.
Mara passed through without a sound again.
Then it reached Vane.
A pressure across his current.
Recognition.
Release.
And the world changed.
One moment, his hand rested against ancient stone.
The next, he was staring at crates.
Rows of them.
They had arrived inside a supply yard.
That was obvious before Vane had fully taken in where they were.
