The mystery of the fracture pattern gnawed at Sage. During his next shift, he used his work-light's energy to take covert spectral readings of the metal in the Northern Tunnel. The scanner was meant for stress flaws, but he recalibrated it, seeking energy residue.
Valantine watched, her lips a tight line. "You're using our allocated Vitae for an unauthorized scan."
"I'm being thorough," he said, not looking up.
The scanner chirped erratically. The readings were chaotic, but not random. They showed a spike of residual magical energy—a faint, fading echo—imbedded in the metal around the spiral fracture. It was a signature, like a fingerprint.
Standard Vitae distribution shouldn't leave that. Magic was carefully extracted at the Spire for Syndicate use only. It wasn't supposed to be in the water pipes.
"There," Sage breathed, showing her the jagged line on the scanner's small screen. "A magical resonance burst. Strong, localized. This fracture wasn't caused by pressure or erosion. It was caused by a shock."
Valentine stared at the data. Her disciplined mind couldn't deny the evidence. "A containment breach?" she muttered, thinking practically. "But that would mean…"
"It would mean the Syndicate is doing more than just filtering and bottling down there," Sage finished, his voice low. "They're experimenting. Actively manipulating the W.E.R.M. And sometimes… it gets out."
The implication hung in the dusty air. The Aqua Vitae wasn't just a resource. It might be a reactor. And the Spire was its unstable core.
Valentine's hand went to her canteen. "If this is true… and if they're causing instability…"
"Then they're lying about everything," Sage said. "About its abundance, its safety, its control. The mechanics of our world are different than what we've been told."
For the first time, Valentine's disciplined reliability wavered. Not toward carelessness, but toward a grim, new calculation. The routine was a lie. What did one do when the foundation of all rules was cracked?
"We report this," she said finally, but without conviction.
"To who? Regina? Rex? They work for the Soladorns."
They packed up in silence, the weight of the discovery heavier than any tool.