The gate officer made me draw Nihil three inches, read the bearer slip, and put it away again.
He was more interested in the retaining strap than the black edge.
"Keep this fastened on the stairs."
"It is."
"Now. Keep it that way."
He marked my entry and called the next name. I moved aside before my new weapon could become the reason nine students stood in a doorway.
Morning light reached only the first few steps. Below them, fixed crystals lit the stone with a pale, steady glow. A draft touched my ankles, cold enough to make the air above seem like somewhere I had left hours ago.
At the broad landing, Draven's section gathered around the carry board. He held one end while another student checked the straps. Nobody had volunteered to be the patient yet.
"Use a bag of sand," someone suggested.
"Sand doesn't tell you when you drop its head," Draven said.
I continued down the short stair before anyone noticed I was free.
