The false consent record remained above Tovan while the academy healers worked beneath it.
One healer cleaned the blood from the fur around the blue plate. Another moved a narrow crystal over Tovan's chest, stopping whenever its inner light changed from white to blue. Neither touched the metal. Every pass revealed another branching line beneath his skin.
Tovan watched their hands instead of the instruments. "Can this academy remove the bond?"
Rangar stood at the foot of the treatment platform. "We can shelter you while the claim is examined and stop its holder from dragging you through our gate. We cannot erase a registered bond simply because we believe the record is false."
Tovan's gaze rose to the final line still hanging above him.
[Consent Record: Verified]
"Then he still owns me."
"The system still gives his account authority over the bond," Rias said. "That is the problem we have to solve."
