because it was the first time he had seen the Mercury signet in months, and instead of being its distinct blue color, it was a sort of gray-bronze.

He stopped in his tracks; his heart jerked in a way it hadn't for a while, and for a moment his brain stopped too, his current thought flatlining before it peeked up again, urgent: Get away.

He turned around and heard almost instantly afterward — "Phayel?"

He hurried faster.

"Hey — wait — Phayel? Is that you?"

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