Morning light showed Rowan and Ellis walking the water path side by side and the sight stopped more than one person in their tracks.
I saw them from the center grass. They were not touching. They were not performing. They simply matched pace and spoke in low voices while they checked the depth markers together. The claim sat between them in the open without needing an audience.
Julian came to stand beside me. “They are not hiding it.”
“No. Feels right.”
We left them to the work. The day did not need us there.
Kael found us a short time later. “Section of the deeper fire path settled overnight. Nothing dangerous. Just uneven stone. I need extra hands to reset it before the heat of the day. Rowan already offered. Ellis said they would come too if the water side can spare them.”
“We wil
