The Hydra's offered space had felt sufficient for exactly ten minutes.
Nestled beneath a half-sunken inn near the docks, the chamber was damp and narrow, lined with mismatched stones and the smell of rotting wood. At first, the Lorebreakers had been grateful. Privacy in Portspond was rare. But by the time Seisyll worked on the first round of beastcore and Beli began etching his fourth array on the ceiling beam with a fingertip, the walls already seemed too close.
It was Beli who said it first, his voice hollow and smooth, like sound passing through bone.
"This room is a basin." He said, gazing at the low, cracked ceiling. "We need a well."
Arthur looked at him. He didn't need to ask what Beli meant, not when the next words came with unsettling clarity.
"The Grand Duke's study. North wing. Three levels above sea depth. Coral walls, thick and layered. Lightproofed twice. The shape is domed. Ideal for containment."
