Road stone closed around the cloth between Aylin and Kedra.
It caught the tether at the throat of the foil outline and pulled upward. Kedra's waist jerked toward the wall. Aylin dropped on the visible lane, keeping her own weight low before the cloth could wrench Kedra's injured shoulder.
Hest drove both broken bar halves into the closing joint.
One jagged edge stopped beside Aylin's ribs. The other bit stone below Kedra's binding. Hest leaned between them with no length left for leverage.
"Separate breaths," Pava said. "Aylin first. Kedra waits."
Aylin drew air through clenched teeth.
Her moonlit footprint deepened. Kedra's shadowless print faded, and the stone around the cloth tightened toward Kedra.
"Kedra, breathe on my hand."
Kedra breathed through her teeth.
Weight returned under her boot. Aylin's heel began sinking.
Pava caught the change with a hand against each woman's back, never letting their bodies touch. "It still wants turns."
