Chapter 13 · Miren's Ghost

Twenty-fifth morning.

Miren's ghost appeared in the observatory at false dawn—translucent, angry, speaking through the telescope eyepiece.

"Listen fast," she said. "I'm anchored in glass. Serath shattered me but my disks persist."

Kael, Liora, Dorian crowded close.

"Confluence seal needs willing synchronization—not sacrifice, despite what Corin believes. Three loopers align heartbeat via anchor disks at breach center. Father's blood helps."

"My blood," Kael said.

"Yours and Dorian's. Corin's too, if you can force him. Without three, seal fails."

"And Vesper?"

Ghost-Miren flickered. "Collateral. Caretaker collects emotional leverage."

Dorian slammed fist on table. "We rescue her first."

"No," Liora said. "Day twenty-nine is trap. Rescue during seal or not at all."

Argument—hot, necessary. They split the difference: scout confluence by day, prepare seal ritual, infiltrate caretaker house on day twenty-eight for Vesper.

Corin sabotaged lunch.

Not poison—memory fog. Students forgot afternoon classes. Loopers forgot an hour.

Kael woke from fog with ink on his arm: *TOO SLOW*.

Dorian had *STILL MY BROTHER* on his—message from himself?

Liora's arm: *MEASURE 27 DON'T SING*.

They compared notes, rebuilt the hour from anchors.

In the lost hour, Corin had visited their mother—witness swore Ashford woman screamed.

Kael ran to slums. House empty.