Chapter 13
Chapter 13: The Day of the Sweep
Morning lay thick and grey over Lowmoor Academy, weighed down by clouds that threatened snow. A hush hung in every corridor—too many whispers had spoken of the Guild's artifact, and now its hour had come.
Zephyr and Fenna reached the herb cellar at first bell. Star, still drowsy, poked his head from the sling, silver eyes luminous in the dim light. Against Zephyr's palm, the Veil Stone fragment pulsed a slow violet, steady as a heartbeat.
"This is it," Fenna murmured. "We have maybe eight hours before they scan every wing."
Zephyr set the shard on a crate. It floated, humming gently. "System, how do we bind the Veil Stone?"
[Ding! Temporary Core-Mask Procedure]
Clamp fragment against dragon chest.
Host channels 50 mana into shard—duration linked to charge.
Suppression lasts thirty hours at full capacity.
Warning: Drains host stamina.
Zephyr flexed sore fingers. "I have enough mana for one full charge. After that we'll be vulnerable again." He knelt, coaxing Star onto his lap. "Ready, little scout?"