Mireva refused to lead them anywhere until every false route in the plaza had been silenced.
Sairren wardens descended from the balconies and pressed narrow tuning forks against the bells. Each fork gave off a silver vibration that smoothed the light across the floor, erased the path toward the shelter, and sealed the dark stains beneath it.
The wardens worked without treating the monsters as servants. They approached every stain with weapons ready and never turned their backs on one until the bellkeeper confirmed that it had gone quiet.
"The bells do not give monsters orders," Mireva said as she watched them. "A starving thing follows the strongest promise of prey. Our route-song hides the living rhythm of our people and places a louder trail somewhere else."
Martin looked at the sealed stains. "Usually toward intruders."
"Toward armed intruders who enter through the dungeon gates. The trails do not distinguish honorable intentions. Neither do the monsters."
