My ring warms.
The Codex tests—a faint push at the edge of my perception, like a finger probing a bruise.
Cassian’s pattern catches it. Deflects. Not forceful. Just… no.
The Codex recoils, annoyed.
I almost laugh in the middle of freefall.
Theron’s voice crackles in my ear. “Still alive?”
“Barely,” I say.
“Hot,” he replies immediately.
Mira’s voice cuts in. “Shut up and focus.”
Theron sighs dramatically. “Why does everyone hate joy?”
Cassian’s tone is mild. “Because your joy is a safety violation.”
Theron laughs, bright and reckless even as he falls through violet mist. “Jealous.”
Cassian doesn’t deny it. “Observe your altitude.”
I check the gauge. Twelve thousand and dropping. The mist thickens; visibility lowers. The ground below is a smear of shadow and glinting mirror wate
