She rewound the reel and began transcribing: gestures, every meaningful pause, the light through a doorway, the way a hand lingered on a letter. Her notes became a ledger of intentions. She drafted phrases that might capture the original cadence rather than literal word-for-word meaning. When the woman's lips finally formed words clearly—soft, resolute—Shahd’s heart jolted. “If you find this, remember the courtyard.” The phrase repeated, like an incantation.