To: The Roundtable
From: Cora, Continuity & Accuracy Editor
Date: [Current Date]
Subject: Continuity Review – Chapter 3: "Thermodynamics and Floor Plans"

I have examined the manuscript for Chapter 3. My primary concern at this stage is the physical manifestation of the magical bond (the "tether") and the spatial logic of the "Sanctum." We are establishing the "physics" of this world’s magic in this chapter, and we must be surgically precise to avoid contradictions in later high-stakes scenes.

### 1. STRENGTHS TO PRESERVE
*   **The Somatic Bleed Mechanic:** The established rule that Mira’s emotional spikes manifest physically on Dorian’s person (specifically the "thermal graft" on his silver-blue silk cuff) is a strong, tangible continuity anchor.
*   **The "Neutrality Lattice" Description:** Defined as a "fifty-fifty split of air that tasted like neither summer nor winter." This establishes a clear atmospheric baseline for the shared workspace.
*   **The Founder’s Binding Visuals:** The description of the tether as a "heavy, golden chain that hummed whenever she put more than ten feet between them" is a vital spatial constraint for future chapters.
*   **The "Double Feedback Loop" Rule:** Dorian’s dialogue ("Every time you touch me, the feedback loop doubles") establishes a high-risk world rule for physical intimacy that elevates the stakes of the slow-burn arc.

### 2. MUST-FIX — CONTINUITY
*   **Contradiction: The Origin of the Burn.**
    *   *The Error:* Chapter 3, Para 3 states: "The scorch mark from the night before was small..." but Chapter 3, Para 6 states: "My pulse spiked because you were being a condescending prick about the bursar’s report, and your sleeve paid the price."
    *   *The Correction:* These two statements conflict on the timeline of the injury. If the burn happened "the night before," it could not have happened because of a conversation taking place "an hour ago" during the current scene. If it happened during the bursar's report *this morning*, remove the reference to "the night before."
*   **Contradiction: The "Somatic Bleed" Directionality.**
    *   *The Error:* The chapter establishes that Mira’s fire burns Dorian. However, later in the scene, Dorian’s ice-magic is described as a "cooling wash... entering her."
    *   *The Correction:* We need to clarify if the bleed is one-way (Mira -> Dorian) or bi-directional. If it is bi-directional, we must establish why Dorian’s previous "condescending" behavior didn't freeze Mira’s robes earlier in the scene.
*   **World-Rule Inconsistency: The Binding Material.**
    *   *The Error:* Chapter 3, Para 13 mentions the binding was "signed in blood on the bridge." If Chapter 1 or 2 established a different ritual (e.g., a scroll or a vocal oath), this must be synchronized. (Note: I am flagging this as a placeholder to ensure the "bridge" event is consistent with the prologue/Ch 1).

### 3. MUST-FIX — CLARITY
*   **The "Basalt" vs. "Obsidian" Floor:**
    *   *The Passage:* Para 5 mentions a "basalt floor." Para 10 mentions "obsidian walls." While both are volcanic, later in Para 44, Mira brushes "the cool iron of her desk" and then "the stone." 
    *   *The Fix:* Explicitly state the primary material of the Sanctum's construction to avoid the room feeling like a shifting set. Choose one: Basalt or Obsidian.
*   **Spatial Logic of the Carafe:**
    *   *The Passage:* Para 19: "The hand—the one near the crystal water carafe he’d brought from his room—twitched." 
    *   *The Fix:* If they are in a "neutrality lattice" divided 50/50, clarify if the carafe is on the neutral table or in Dorian's "cold" zone. If it's in his zone, Mira’s heat crossing the lattice to boil it needs a more explicit "leakage" description.

### 4. OPTIONAL SUGGESTIONS
*   **Naming Consistency (Optional):** Ensure "The Pyre Academy" and "The Crystalline Spire" are the finalized names. At one point, Mira is called "Chancellor of the Pyre," and Dorian is "Chancellor of the Spire." This is clean, but ensure we don't use "Frost-Spire" or "Fire-Academy" elsewhere.
*   **The Ticking Clock (Optional):** The "nightfall" deadline for floor plans is mentioned once and then somewhat forgotten during the 5-hour montage. A brief line about the sun setting further during the debate would tighten the timeline.

### 5. FORBIDDEN CHANGES / NON-GOALS
*   **Do not "fix" the thermal terminology.** While "thermal graft" and "kinetic resonance" are pseudo-scientific, they are established as the specific vernacular of these two schools. Do not simplify them into generic "fire magic."
*   **Do not alter the "Neutrality Lattice" temperature.** The specific "sixty-eight degrees" is an excellent character detail showing Mira’s disdain for "room temperature" as an insult.

### 6. VERDICT
**REVISE**
(The timeline contradiction regarding when the sleeve was scorched—"last night" vs. "this morning's bursar report"—must be resolved to maintain a clean internal chronology.)