Vesper knew something was wrong before she saw him.
She felt it.
A faint shift in the compound's resonance — not external, internal. Like a chord slightly out of tune.
When Kael entered the west hall covered in dust, Lyra animated beside him, her stomach dropped.
"Explain," she said calmly.
Lyra jumped in first.
"He was in a suspicious underground resonance showdown with a morally ambiguous scientist and possibly henchmen."
Kael closed his eyes briefly.
"It wasn't—"
"Don't say complicated," Vesper warned quietly.
Silence.
He met her eyes.
"She wanted to talk."
"She attacked the Academy."
"She attacked the system."
"That's not better."
Lyra slowly backed away toward the staircase.
"I'm going to get water. Or popcorn. I don't know yet."
When they were alone, Vesper stepped closer.
"You don't get to flirt with extremism because you're curious."
His expression hardened.
"You don't get to dictate what I investigate."
"This isn't a academic debate Kael."
"She said our genes weren't accidental."
That stopped her.
"What?"
"She implied we were designed in relation to each other."
Her breath hitched almost imperceptibly.
"That's manipulative."
"Is it false?"
Silence fell heavy.
She searched his face.
"You think I'd hide something like that?"
"I think you don't want it to be true."
That stung.
Her voice softened slightly.
"You could have been killed."
"So could you."
"I don't meet extremists in basements."
"You jump into burning aircraft."
They stared at each other.
The argument wasn't really about Selene.
It was about something older.
He finally said quietly,
"I won't join them."
"You're considering it."
"I'm considering answers."
Her jaw tightened.
"Be careful which answers cost you everything."
Lyra leaned halfway over the staircase railing.
"Okay, tension is thick enough to slice. Should I fake a fire alarm?"
They both glared at her.
She disappeared instantly.
But the damage was done.
Not to the compound.
To the space between them.