Dawn made Stormgate Flats look brand new. Frost on the grass. Breath like smoke. No banners, no speeches—just the right people in the right places.
Reika handed me tea and a look that said keep it simple. Seraphina lined her tripods like a small metal forest. Rachel checked clips, checked me, then told me to breathe on fours. Cecilia stood with the engineer van and quietly moved two cable runs to smarter places. King Marcus and Queen Lyralei were already there with signed permits. Tiamat and Lyra walked the chalk together.
We kept the ring honest. Four kill-switch pylons at the corners. Poles and chalk arcs inside. Royal Guard trucks out on the hard ground. Med tents warm. Captain Selene Vyr took the perimeter without saying more than ten words. Chief Kade Opalus ran his palm along the main line and listened to the dirt like it was an old friend.
