The claimant's third exit ended inside the slate's crack.
It looked convincing from above. A dark line crossed the blank surface between the north and south grooves, carrying an arrow and the words `RETURN TO SOURCE`. From the side, the line had no depth, opening, chipped edge, or path through the stone.
[THREE-EXIT REVIEW]
[North physical groove1]
[South physical groove1]
[Claimant-drawn exit1]
[Claimant exit physical depth0]
[Claimant exit exterior path0]
[Slate integrity84]
Hessa passed a paper gauge through north and south again. Both restored. The same gauge stopped on the claimant line without entering stone.
Conti kept every modern and historical index closed. Aylin placed three ownerless exit markers beyond the slate, one for each offered direction. The false marker connected to nothing.
"Opening order?" she asked.
"False first," Jiang said. "Then north. South stays closed for the second valid choice."
"Why let the lie go first?"
