Alaric didn't shout again.
He didn't rush her.
Didn't throw up a barrier or activate a skill.
He just stepped forward, slow and steady, watching Seraphine's eyes the whole time.
"Say it again," he said carefully.
Seraphine blinked once, slow and glassy. Her pupils shimmered like mirrors. She wasn't breathing heavy. Wasn't tense. Just calm. Too calm.
Her voice came soft, low, like someone reading from a script.
> "Crown Protocol accepted. Designation: Secondary Anchor. Pattern alignment complete. Standby mode… unlocked."
Alaric stopped three feet away.
He kept his hands relaxed, his voice even.
"Seraphine," he said. "You're not a machine. Whatever it's doing, you can push back."
She didn't blink.
Didn't move.
But the book on the table did.
Its pages flipped again, faster this time, then stopped.
A new line appeared—fresh ink forming on the parchment.
> Phase II confirmed.
Two anchors located.
One Crown potential identified.
Initiating link sequence... now.
