The bookstore was quieter than a church before dawn.
Rain tapped softly against the windows.
The fire crackled in the hearth, casting warm light across shelves filled with books whose titles had long since faded.
Eryndor wasn't sure whether he felt safe.
Or studied.
The old man closed the ancient tome.
"You've read people before."
Eryndor frowned.
"I don't think I have."
The old man smiled.
"No."
"You simply didn't realize it."
The front door opened.
The bell chimed.
Three figures entered.
The first wore the gray robes of a Scholar.
Young.
Nervous.
Ink stained his sleeves.
Behind him walked Kael.
Tall.
Dark-skinned.
Broad-shouldered.
His dark Imperial coat hung loosely over a simple black shirt, and the rain still clung to his closely cropped black hair. Amber eyes scanned the room with the alertness of someone who expected bad news as a profession.
He looked as though he hadn't slept properly in weeks.
Which, knowing the Imperium...
Was probably true.
The third figure immediately drew Eryndor's attention.
He looked no older than thirty.
Neatly combed ash-brown hair.
Round spectacles.
Simple dark robes.
Nothing about him screamed power.
Everything about him screamed intelligence.
His gray eyes moved across the room, noticing details Eryndor hadn't even realized existed.
He smiled politely.
Not warmly.
Curiously.
Like a man discovering an interesting equation.
"So."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"You're Eryndor."
"I am."
"I've been looking forward to meeting you."
Kael muttered under his breath.
"...That's never a good sentence."
The newcomer ignored him.
"My name is Orvayn Caelus."
The scholar beside him straightened immediately.
Respect.
Almost reverence.
Eryndor noticed.
"So you're important."
Orvayn tilted his head.
"I prefer 'difficult to replace.'"
Kael snorted.
"That's the most Orvayn answer I've ever heard."
"I take that as a compliment."
"You shouldn't."
The old bookseller quietly watched.
Saying nothing.
Listening to everything.
Orvayn's gaze settled on Eryndor.
"You've caused quite a disturbance."
"I've noticed."
"No."
Orvayn adjusted his glasses.
"You've noticed the consequences."
"I've noticed the disturbance."
Silence.
Eryndor leaned back.
"...You're one of those people."
"What people?"
"The ones who answer questions by creating more questions."
Orvayn thought about it.
Then nodded.
"...An unfortunate occupational hazard."
Kael sighed.
"I warned you."
The young scholar whispered to Kael.
"Is he always like this?"
"No."
Kael folded his arms.
"Sometimes he's worse."
Orvayn ignored them.
His attention remained fixed on Eryndor.
"Tell me."
He spoke calmly.
"When you look at someone..."
"What do you see?"
Eryndor hesitated.
"...People."
"A disappointing answer."
"It's the truth."
"For now."
The room fell quiet.
Even the fire seemed to listen.
Orvayn reached into his satchel.
Kael immediately took one step back.
Eryndor noticed.
"...Why are you moving away?"
Kael answered without taking his eyes off Orvayn.
"Because last month he tried to create a Concept stabilizer."
"And?"
"It became a chair."
"...That doesn't sound dangerous."
"The chair temporarily understood mathematics."
"..."
"..."
Eryndor blinked.
"I have several questions."
"So did the chair."
Kael replied.
For the first time—
Orvayn actually looked embarrassed.
"...That was one experiment."
"It passed the licensing inspection."
"By accident."
"It still passed."
Even Nysera, standing quietly near the bookshelf, lowered her head slightly.
Whether she was hiding amusement...
Or disappointment...
No one could tell.
Then—
Orvayn became serious.
Completely serious.
He stepped toward Eryndor.
The atmosphere changed.
Not from power.
From focus.
"I need your cooperation."
"For what?"
"I believe..."
His gray eyes narrowed.
"...someone has begun rewriting the rules under which Concepts interact."
Kael's expression hardened.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
"And yet."
Orvayn slowly placed an old map onto the table.
It wasn't a map of cities.
It was a map of Threads.
Hundreds of golden lines crossed the parchment.
Most ended abruptly.
Several had been crossed out.
One shone brighter than the others.
It led...
Directly to Eryndor.
No one spoke.
The old bookseller quietly added another log to the fire.
The flames rose.
Outside, thunder rolled across the night sky.
Somewhere far beyond the Imperium...
Something ancient had begun moving.
And for reasons none of them yet understood...
It was moving toward them.