Chapter 694: What Waits Beyond the Gate
For two days after their return, Seraphine occupied the small preparation chamber beside the inner garden.
Leon found her there on the second evening, sitting before the dawnspar with a sheet of observations balanced on her knee.
The crystal rested in a preservation array assembled by Vyra from the Palace's instructions. Loriel had helped establish the conditions around the stone, and Seraphine had set the final energy balance herself.
"How is it?" Leon asked.
"Exactly how I brought it back."
"That sounds less exciting than you look."
"I've checked it after resting, after sword practice, and after a full circulation." She tapped her notes. "It still responds the way I need."
He crouched beside her to examine the gold within the violet branches.
"What remains?"
"A stabilizer suitable for condensation, and trials with the materials together. I need to know how they behave under compression."
"So no surprise breakthrough tomorrow?"
