Quinlan lowered himself against the fractured rampart and exhaled.
His first instinct was to sit properly. He shifted his weight forward, knees starting to draw in, habit guiding him toward the familiar cross-legged posture he had learned in Zhenwu.
That position, perfect for meditation, which for him meant mana regeneration now, had been drilled into him until it became second nature.
Then he paused.
Something felt… unnecessary.
Not wrong, per se.
Simply unneeded.
His body was already settled. His back rested securely against the stone. His balance no longer searched for correction.
The faint tension that usually lingered before meditation was absent, as if the door he normally had to knock on was already open.
Quinlan stilled, paying attention to the sensation rather than dismissing it.
Interesting.
