She found Damon in the training room. Eve stood in the doorway and watched him. The way he moved. The precision of each strike. The control wrapped around sothing that wanted to break loose.
He saw her and stopped. Caught the bag with both hands and held it still.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," she said.
She crossed the room and he pulled off his gloves and turned to face her. His shirt was soaked through with sweat. His breathing was elevated but controlled. His eyes were sharp and tracking her face for sothing she could not na.
"Tomorrow," she said.
"Tomorrow," he agreed.
"It’s real."
"It has always been real." He reached out and pulled her in. His arms ca around her and she put her face against his chest and breathed him in. He slled like sweat and pack and ho.
"I’m afraid," she said against his chest.
"Good," he said. "Afraid ans you are taking it seriously."
She almost laughed. "Silas said the sa thing."
"Silas is smarter than he looks."
"I will tell him you said that."
His chest moved with almost-laughter. His hand ca up and cupped the back of her head. Held her there.
"We are all here," he said quietly. "Every step. You do not do this alone."
"I know," she said.
"Co back to after," he said. "Always."
"Always," she agreed.
He held her for a long mont. Then he let go and stepped back. "Go. I need to finish this set before I can think about sleeping."
She left him to his bag and his controlled violence and his own way of managing the things he could not say out loud.
****
Thursday morning ca too fast.
Eve woke up before dawn and lay in bed watching the light change outside the window. Today the docuntation went in. Today it beca official. Today they started the countdown to the end.
She got up and dressed and went downstairs to find everyone already in the kitchen. Maya making coffee. Vessa organizing papers at the table. Damian reading through the filing checklist one more ti. Damon leaning against the counter with his arms crossed watching everyone with that sharp focused that ant he was ready for sothing to go wrong.
Silas ca in last. Sat down beside Eve without speaking. Put his hand over hers on the table.
They ate breakfast in near silence. When it was ti Vessa stood up and gathered the boxes and Damian helped her carry them to the back of the building where Eve would open the portal.
The opening of the portal to the Conclave building was quick this ti around, unlike last ti.
They arrived at the Conclave building just after nine. The filing office was on the second floor in the east wing. A clerk t them at the door and directed them to a private room where the formal docuntation could be submitted.
Vessa laid everything out on the table in perfect order. The directive first. The vote record second. Sable’s testimony third. The witness statents fourth. She walked the clerk through each docunt while the clerk made notes and stamped pages and filed everything into the official record.
It took forty five minutes.
When it was done the clerk handed Vessa a receipt with the official filing number and the date and ti stamp.
"Proceedings will be scheduled within seventy two hours," the clerk said. "You will be notified by courier."
"Thank you," Vessa said.
They left the filing office and walked back down the corridor toward the main entrance. Eve felt the weight of it settling in her chest. It was done. Filed. Official. No going back now.
They were almost to the doors when Eve felt it.
A cold spot.
She stopped.
Damian stopped beside her. "What is it?"
Eve looked around. The corridor was empty except for them. The walls were old stone. The windows were tall and letting in morning light. Everything looked exactly as it should.
But the cold spot was there.
Like stepping through a pocket of winter air in the middle of sumr.
She turned slowly. Scanned the corridor. Nothing. No one. Just old stone and morning light and the specific quality of emptiness that ca from being in a building older than anyone currently walking through it.
The cold spot faded.
Eve exhaled.
"Eve?" Damian said quietly.
"Nothing," she said. She looked at him. "I thought I felt sothing but it’s gone now."
His eyes scanned the corridor. The sa sharp tracking she had done. Looking for threats. Finding none.
"Let’s go ho," he said.
"Yes," she agreed.
They left the Conclave building and went back through the sa portal she had opened earlier.
"It is done," she said.
"It is done," Eve agreed.
They arrived at the estate just after eleven. Damon was waiting for them at the backyard. He pulled her into his arms imdiately she walked out through the portal.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"It’s filed," she said. "Everything. They have seventy two hours to schedule proceedings."
He pulled her in tighter. His arms ca around her hard and she held on just as tightly.
"Good," he said into her hair. "Good."
They went inside together. Maya had lunch waiting. They ate in the kitchen with all of them around the table and it felt....normal. Almost normal.
After lunch Eve went up to her room and lay down on the bed. She did not sleep. Just lay there looking at the ceiling and feeling the weight of the week settling into her bones.
Two days.
Maybe three.
Then the Conclave would schedule proceedings and everything would begin.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out the photograph. Looked at her parents. At their faces. At the laughter.
"I’m doing it," she whispered to the photograph. "I’m building what you would have built."
The photograph did not answer.
But she had not expected it to.
She put it back in her pocket and closed her eyes.
Outside the estate was quiet.
The week of preparation was over.
Now they waited.
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