The obsidian stops being “strange loot” and becomes a threat. Steve tests the magic in Osiris’s sword, and when the shards react they form a brief triangle-link that spikes with divination and the unmistakable feeling of being watched. Gary finally reveals what he knows: his parents were taken, the Writ are hunting “black glass,” and lead-lined storage might be the only thing keeping them hidden. Moments later a “Royal Charter” escort forces the issue at their door, and the party has to bolt out a window and run for the city before they’re caught.