The faint pulse of Hale’s heartbeat echoed down the corridor like a distant drum, slow and searching.

Evelyn leaned into it, letting the rhythm align with hers, stabilizing the entire passage. The wavering light tightened, refined, and the network’s living walls hummed in agreement.

She was closer now—close enough that the edges of the physical world tingled against her awareness like cool air brushing warm skin.

She felt Gray next.

His presence was sharper, agitated, thrumming with ...