The unopened invitation remained suspended between Cassandra's hands.
[Declare your trade.]
Nobody touched it. Wind crossed Slatewind Basin and pressed Mireva's blue-black hair against one cheek. Behind her, the doors of the Sunken Belfry stood open just wide enough for the three Sairren wardens accompanying her to watch the surface without leaving the protection of the stone.
Rias closed the inspection layer around the Unanswered Bell Fragment. The black-bordered prompt vanished behind three pale evidence seals.
"Not here," she said. "We do not know whether opening the invitation creates another connection. We are standing beside the people whose route-song was already stolen once."
Mireva's wings drew closer to her back. "Then take it away from our doors."
Cassandra did not object. She returned the fragment to its warded container and passed it to Rias rather than keeping it in her own inventory.
