Nari crouched on the guardroom landing with both daggers drawn and counted the shimmers hanging over the court below.
Three route mouths trembled above the flagstones, and every single one of them led straight toward the upstream bypass.
'Three doors to Hajin's back, and somebody down there wants me to shut them.'
A man in a guard officer's sash lounged against the court's well head, twirling a short blade like a clerk. Shards flickered lazily around his forearm, and a ring of iron control handles stood on the squat post beside him.
"Route captain of this yard," he called up, tipping his chin toward her, "and you look like the cat type who seals doors."
"Lynx, actually, and it's rude to guess."
"Seal them, then, go on, I'll wait right here in the middle."
'He wants me to close the circle early, so whatever he's hiding stays open.'
Behind her, six freed workers bunched on the landing, still rubbing the marks where the muster bonds pinched their wrists.
