The door handle turned under Lyris's hand.
Locked.
Not barred. Not chained. Just a clean, firm lock that didn't give.
Ragna hit the panel beside the bed with her palm, not the red button, the black one Ward had pointed at.
A soft click. A light blinked once.
The thump hit again, closer. The window latch rattled. The hum in the wall didn't change, but the floor gave a faint vibration like a truck rolling past outside.
Mira pressed her ear to the door. "It's moving along the lane."
Ragna muttered, "So open it."
Lyris leaned close to the seam of the door and spoke toward the corridor. "Post."
No answer at first. Then boots, quick and steady, stopped outside their unit.
A voice through the door. "Guests, stay inside."
Ragna stepped forward. "What is that?"
"Routine movement," the guard said. "Stand by."
Another thump. This time it wasn't just vibration. It came with a short burst of wind that pushed against the building, like air being forced down a narrow street.
