Alex waited until Vesa could hold the altered pattern without Thepes pulling through it.
The small sample remained inside the rune boundary, separate from the blood Alex and Mingyue were using for the call. It no longer tried to make every answering pulse move at the same pace.
Thepes watched it from the floor.
"If that part folds, stop," he said. "Adding more will only make the crossing worse."
Vesa nodded.
Alex looked toward the doorway. The last of the critical patients had been carried through the route to Edonia, and Selene had people checking the wounded who could remain near the sheltered buildings.
A carrier passed the doorway with another empty stretcher. Selene had cleared enough space for them to try; the receiving area would fill again quickly.
Mingyue sat beside him, resting her bandaged left arm on her knee. She raised her right hand beside his.
"Ready?" Alex asked.
"For the call."
He understood the distinction. Neither of them knew what would follow it.
