Quinlan led the elders out of the tomb.
The young shrine maidens were waiting in the courtyard where he'd left them, clustered in a loose knot near the path, and the copper-haired girl was the first to look up.
Her eyes went enormous.
The golden aura still poured from Quinlan in waves, warm and autumn-hued, spilling out through [Synchra]'s seams and curling around the armored frame.
She dropped to her knees.
The others followed, one after another, until the entire ring of young maidens was on the stone with their foreheads pressed to the flagstones.
"My Lord…"
Her voice shook.
"He was speaking the truth?!"
"I told you to act respectful!"
"But I-"
Quinlan raised a gauntlet.
"Let's not do this dance. You did nothing wrong. In fact, I'm grateful."
The maidens gasped at those words. They were about to throw an onslaught of protests at him, which Quinlan interrupted before they even began.
