Location:The Pavilion
Date/Time:Early Emberwane, 9941 AZI
Realm:Lower Realm (Jayde's soul-space)
The Pavilion was quiet.
Not empty — the formation network hummed its constant ambient pulse, the herb garden rustled with whatever Green had planted this week, and somewhere in the training hall White was cleaning the bone-handled whip with the methodical precision of a man reviewing the day's inadequacies. The wyrmlings were asleep in the queens' chamber, three small bodies curled together in the silver light, Tianxin's tail thrown across Shenxin's back, Huaxin tucked into the hollow between them. Yinxin was with them. Yinxin was humming.
Jayde sat on the entrance hall bench with her boots off and her feet on the warm stone. The formation network pulsed once beneath her. Recognition.
"You're not training," Isha said.
