Vivienne's eyes widened. "That's a serious accusation."
"It's not an accusation," Morgana replied coolly. "It's an observation."
She finally turned from the projection, her long dark coat shifting slightly with the movement. "Increase surveillance on the lower floors. Quietly. And pull the attendance logs for any student who's been near the archives tonight."
Vivienne nodded, hesitating only a second. "Should I tell Merlin?"
Morgana paused, then shook her head. "No. Not yet. He attracts enough danger as it is."
She turned back to the projection. Her fingers brushed the sigil in the air, and it rippled faintly under her touch, like something alive trying to hide beneath the surface.
Her voice dropped to a whisper only the mana could hear.
"I won't let this happen again."
—
The next morning, the rain had washed the sky clear.
