They moved in pairs through the old merchant quarter.
The density was thicker here than in the quieter districts, but the late-night carts and warehouse shifts gave them cover. Lara and Clara took the first stretch, testing the side streets that still held dull pockets.
Atlas and Eli followed at a distance that looked accidental. No one spoke more than necessary. The capital's night screens did not sleep. They only grew more selective about who they watched.
The east annex of the old palace gardens sat behind a low wall of blackened stone that predated the current emperor's line. Clara's notes had been accurate. The screens along the outer path were running lighter than usual, exactly as promised. A quarter-hour window. No more.
Atlas and Eli crossed the last open stretch alone. Lara and Clara held position two streets back, close enough to hear trouble, far enough to vanish if the screens slammed shut.
