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He opened another field. “Different family lines.”

I leaned closer. “What?”

He enlarged the lineage data. I recognized enough of the structure to follow it, but not enough to interpret it as quickly as he could.

Veyr pointed to two records. “These bloodlines are unrelated.”

“Then why does that matter?”

“Because this one is not.”

He opened another file. The name meant nothing to me. The lineage marker did not. But the way he looked at it did.

“Related to who?”

“One of the earlier warriors.”

“How closely?”

“Distantly.”

“That still counts.”

“Yes.”

I pulled the screen back toward me. “Okay.”

I started another column.

BLOODLINE.

Veyr watched me type it. “You think lineage matters.”

“I think anything that repeats matters.”

“That is not always true.”

“No, but it’s usually worth checking.”

I added the known family-line connections. Only two matched. One maybe. Not enough to prove anything. But enough to keep.

Veyr leaned back. “This could still be administrative.”

I looked at him. He knew immediately that I disagreed.

His jaw tightened. “What?”

“You don’t believe that.”

“I said it could be.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

“It remains possible.”

I folded my arms. “Veyr.”

He gave me the look he usually saved for when I said his name like an accusation.