Lira stopped before the barrier that ringed the villa and gestured toward Michael's Edgeband.
She turned to him with a knowing smile. "The Edgebands also work like access cards," she explained. "They're keyed to each student's identification and clearance level. If I'm not mistaken, yours should already be registered—try holding it up to the post."
As he raised his hand toward the pillar beside the gate, the air in front of him gave a barely visible ripple. A thin, luminous line traced itself across the barrier like a hairline seam, before slowly parting down the center.
The edges peeled back in silence, widening until the opening was just large enough for a person to pass through.
They passed through. The seam closed behind them without a sound.
Inside, the villa grounds stretched farther than he expected. A straight path, paved in pale stone, led to a residence that could have been sketched from an old painting.
