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"Have you tried?"

"No."

"Why?"

Cassian looks toward him. "Because until yesterday, I didn't know I should." Fair.

We begin with Mara. Closest. Safest. Inside the Academy. Professor Vayne comes. Rhyven comes. Caelen gets called to patrol coordination. Nyra carries enough parchment to document the collapse of civilization. I carry coffee. Again. We are developing roles.

The pantry has been reopened but remains restricted.

The kitchen beyond is quiet. Too quiet. People still work. Bread still bakes. Soup still simmers. But nobody enters the pantry alone anymore.

Cassian stands in the doorway. Does nothing. For almost a minute. Then— "This is stupid."

Nyra looks up. "You haven't done anything."

"Exactly."

"Try."

"Very helpful."

She smiles faintly. "You're welcome."

Cassian closes his eyes. His shoulders relax. I have seen sirens use influence before. This is different. No voice. No glamour. No visible magic. Just listening.

Thirty seconds. Nothing. Then his brow furrows.

Rhyven notices. "What."

Cassian raises one hand. Wait. Another few seconds. Then his eyes open. His face has changed.

"What?" I ask.

He looks toward the empty pantry. "There's a gap." No one speaks.

Nyra's quill starts. "What kind?"

"I don't know."

"Describe it."

Cassian swallows. "People leave impressions." He gestures vaguely around us. "Not memories. Not thoughts. More like..." He looks toward Professor Vayne. "Have you ever walked into a room immediately after someone left and known someone was just there?" Vayne nods. "It's like that." Cassian looks back toward the pantry. "Except backwards."

My stomach twists. "There's no impression." He says. "Nothing.

"But Mara was there." Nyra says.

"I know."

"Then—"

"That's the problem." Cassian rubs his arms. "The kitchen is full of people. Emotion. Movement. Memory." He points toward the pantry. "And then..." His voice lowers. "Nothing."

Absence. Again. Always absence.

We test Aelindra's site next. The effect is stronger. Much stronger. Cassian stops before reaching the marker. "No."