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Mzatal narrowed his eyes, leaned in, and examined the series for at least a full minute, deeply absorbed With a sudden intake of breath, he straightened, nodding "Yes Excellent" He made some adjustments to the line "And now?"

I’d followed the feel of what he did and was already trying to figure out how to say in words what I sensed I gestured to the sigil on the end "That one," I said, shaking ht

The lord peered at the sigil, then shook his head definitively "I do not see it," he said "It would clarify for h you"

I tensed involuntarily, though I kneas the best way for him to see what I couldn’t explain And at least he asked "Uh, yeah Sure"

He laid his hand on il carefully, feeling into the slight discordance of the hue My nails bit into the palh I couldn’t even feel a whisper of his presence Apparently looking throughin demon A moment later he lifted his hand from my shoulder "I have it," he said Hearound us "You co fully to me with a smile

I exhaled in relief that he was out of ht one of my own But the iven hiet withoutinto his trap? "Guess I’htly

"Kara Gillian, you are far from hopeless," he said with a shake of his head "Now you have but to ignite it"

Right Ignite it I rubbed sweaty palree to indicate that Mzatal intended to screw me over I took a deep breath, liftedIts resonance struck h to be unco "Perfect This is our foundation," he said, nodding approval "Now, bring it into alignment and see if you can attain full resonance"

I nment as far as I could The resonance iht

Mzatal had his shoulders drawn up; obviously, he enjoyed the discordance asuntil the harritted my teeth and tried to make the adjust, I withdrew froht It’s not working"

Mzatal exhaled, and though I wasn’t looking at him, I felt his eyes on me "Take it down," he said

Annoyance and frustration seared through h I knew most were irrational Why the hell couldn’t I do this one stupid little thing? And who the hell gave these lords the right to fuck withhad been fine until the asshole lords got involved

I grounded the ring, then dispelled it with several arm sweeps that felt more like attacks than artistry At least I could do thatat Mzatal, I turned and stalked to the edge of the platform, then stepped down onto the sand

Idris hurried over "It’s okay," he said "You alet-it-next-ti him, but I knew none of it was his fault Except that I was here at all Yeah, that

I gave hiht smile andmy arms around ry

"Idris," Mzatal said from somewhere behind me "Proceed with the stabilization of the nexus in preparation for the full foundation I do not knoe will be ready, though, ideally, by the next full moon on Earth"

Didn’t knoe would be ready because I couldn’t do my part Fuck

"Kara, ill return ho calm "Take the stairs Stop at each switchback and count to one hundred twenty-one, then continue"