Nyx appeared at the edge of our table without any of us noticing her approach, which was either a function of her Shadowmeld Aspect or simply the fact that she moved through social spaces the way a cat moves through rooms, appearing where she wanted to be and making it seem like she’d always been there. She wore the uniform with her characteristic modifications: fishnet stockings beneath the charcoal skirt, combat boots instead of standard shoes, black choker tight against her throat, and her dark bobbed hair hanging just past her jaw in a cut so sharp it could probably draw blood.

She pulled out the chair at the end of the table, sat down with her tray of sushi and miso soup, and spoke without preamble.

"It’s not Steele."

Everyone looked at her.

"I checked the room assignment for this afternoon," Nyx said, picking up a piece of salmon nigiri with her chopsticks. "Room 214 has been reconfigured since this morning. The podium’s gone. The tiered seating’s been pushed back to create floor space. And someone installed reinforced paneling on the walls that wasn’t there during Mercy’s lecture."

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