It turned out giving a statement to the archive felt a lot like bleeding on stone.
Just with better lighting.
Aria had commandeered a smaller chamber off the war room: one long table, two chairs, a recording crystal in a metal frame, and a human‑adapted camera mounted discreetly on a tripod.
“Council insisted on the crystal,” Aria said, adjusting the frame. “I insisted on the camera.”
“Insurance,” Riven said from his place by the door. “Crystals can be… misfiled.”
“Cameras irritate them,” Aria added. “So we keep it.”
Kaiden stood a few paces behind my chair, close enough that his scent wrapped the air, far enough that he wasn’t in the shot. Nolan leaned against the wall near the door, arms folded, expression shuttered.
Grace had refused to leave entirely. She planted herself just ou
