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“What do you propose?” he asked.

Kesta let out the breath she had prepared for battle. “The drone was sent to identify me. If I vanish with the children, I make them targets. I stay where defenses are strongest.”

“No.”

“You asked.”

“I did not promise agreement.”

“Then disagree with reasons.”

His tail lashed once. “The camp can survive an assault. It cannot survive if you are captured and used to activate every implanted prisoner.”

“That is a theory.”

“So is your belief that they will follow you.”

“Then we test both. We create a false departure trail. One convoy leaves with my biological trace and no children. The families move separately through the old water tunnels.”

Dreven stared at her. Keth, approaching from the council chamber, heard the last sentence. “It could work.” Dreven turned on him. “You encourage this because you do not carry the cost if she is taken.” Keth’s expression hardened. “I carry the camp. That is why I listen when someone offers a plan better than fear.” The words struck with the force of a challenge, but Keth did not lower his eyes. Dreven stood between the two people demanding he share authority. At last he looked at Kesta. “You will not ride in the decoy.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“You will help design it.”

“Yes.”

“You remain inside the inner perimeter during deployment.”

“Unless the perimeter fails.”

His jaw tightened. “Unless the perimeter fails.” Agreement did not feel like surrender. It felt harder than command because it required both of them to remain responsible. Before the council, Kesta faced the families.

The inner tunnel held every child in Ash Camp and twice as many adults pretending not to be afraid. Rumor had already transformed PAIR RESPONSE DETECTED into certainty: Kesta and Dreven were imperial mates; Kesta was a weapon; the empire had found them because she crossed the gate. Kesta stood on an overturned storage crate with the recovered crystal in her hand.

“The drone identified a biological response,” she said. “That does not prove a mate-bond. It does not prove consent. It does not prove either of us came here willingly.”

A man near the rear called, “It proves they chose you for him.”

“It suggests they expected compatibility.”

“Then you brought this.”

The accusation passed through the tunnel like cold air. Dreven stepped forward. Kesta raised one hand without looking at him. He stopped.

“Yes,” she said. “The machine followed me. That makes me dangerous to stand near. It also means the empire believes I am valuable enough to preserve. But you deserve to decide whether keeping me here is worth the risk.”

Pela climbed onto the next crate. “And if we refuse?”

“I leave with enough supplies not to become immediate bait at your gate.”

Dreven’s voice dropped. “No.” Kesta faced him. “You do not own this decision.”

“I claimed protection before witnesses.”

“Protection does not mean forcing a camp to shelter me.”

The tunnel went silent. At last Dreven addressed the families. “She is correct. Ash Camp may refuse the strategic risk. My protection would continue outside its walls.” The concession cost him. Everyone heard it.