The Ember Network headquarters had never been this full.
Eighty operatives crowded the war room, their auras a constellation of colors against the Veil-crafted map that dominated the center of the space. Shen Wei stood at the front, his amber aura steady as a beacon. Kiera was beside him, her green energy sharp and focused. Elena was at the communications station, her newly awakened Veil Sight monitoring the network of journalist contacts and musician informants that would provide real-time intelligence throughout the operation. Jamie - designated "Sparrow" against his will - coordinated logistics from a secondary station, his normal-world practicality grounding the Veil-focused planning.
And Marcus Thorne stood at the edge of the room, his crimson aura subdued, his presence a silent tes
