Gabriel's office was quiet.
Rowena stood before the desk, hands clasped behind her back.
"No trace," she reported, her voice clipped, professional. "Standard sweeps confirm Fin and Meg are no longer within the city or its immediate periphery. Energy signatures vanished abruptly post-incident."
Gabriel stared out at the city, fingertips steepled beneath his chin. He didn't turn. "The domain."
Rowena's posture remained unchanged. "We anticipated the possibility, sir. Scans for dimensional breaches matching his unique signature yielded negative results within detectable range."
"He didn't breach," he said softly, still watching the city. "He simply withdrew. Sealed the entrance behind him." He finally turned, his pale blue eyes meeting hers. They held no surprise.
"They are sequestered."
The silence stretched for several beats. The implications hung heavy in the sterile air. Conventional tracking was useless. Direct assault impossible without locating a way inside.
