[Celestial Academy — North Corridor — 11:47 PM]
The empty corridor between them.
Valeria didn't move toward Alex.
Alex didn't move toward Valeria.
The twenty meters between them enough that any patrolling guard who appeared would see two people who had met by chance in the hallway.
"Here?" Alex said quietly.
Valeria nodded toward a side door.
---
The archive room of the north wing. Windowless. With a lock that Valeria opened with her own key — which said how long she had had access to this specific space.
Inside: boxes of documents, shelves, the smell of old paper and the preservation enchantment that kept it from deteriorating.
Valeria activated a small lamp.
She evaluated Alex in the light.
"The documents are good," she said finally. "The suppressed level is consistent. But you walk like someone who knows this building."
"I know it."
"I know." Valeria. "That's why I said I knew you would come back. I just didn't know when."
Alex looked at her.
