---
Elena said, "The day would feel strange without that." That was as close to humor as she was likely to allow herself before noon.
The planning room held them another stretch of time while duties shifted and the shape of the day solidified. By the end of it, Dawn House no longer felt like a residence preparing for trouble.
It felt like a hidden command post under noble walls.
When Sekhmet finally left the room, Lily was waiting for him in the inner courtyard shade.
She sat on the low stone edge near the training circle, one knee bent, one hand resting beside her. The sunlight filtering through the upper lattice touched her hair and throat in warm strips. At a glance she looked calm. At a closer look, he could see the tension under the calm.
She was taking it seriously.
She rose when he approached.
"Mira."
Her first word. Of course.
"In the Void Land," he said. "Still transforming."
Lily searched his face for more.
