Professor Elowen believed Jasper immediately.

She did not immediately believe the weather forecast was wrong.

Those were different things.

Jasper found her outside the chart room after Ocean Studies, with Harper and Ava following close behind.

"The presence is really strong," he said. "I saw the harbour. The gate. The work barge. Then water coming toward Tidefall."

Elowen's expression sharpened.

"Did it hurt?"

"No."

"Did you deliberately reach?"

"No."

"Good."

She opened the chart room.

Weather maps covered one wall.

Barometers, tide instruments and harbour displays covered another.

Professor Crowe stood at the main table.

Elowen repeated Jasper's report.

Crowe listened.

"Describe the water again."

Jasper closed his eyes, remembering without trying to call anything back.

"Not a wave shape. More like pressure. A lot of water moving toward the harbour quickly."

Ava said, "He called it a wall before."

Crowe nodded. "Did you see weather?"

"I don't know. It was dark, but that could have been because the impression was underwater."

"Good distinction."

The current forecast showed a moderate front arriving the following evening.

Nothing severe.

Coastal radio carried no emergency warning.

The harbour gate was operating normally.

The work barge had already been secured.

Everything measurable said ordinary storm.

Crowe still sent staff to check the harbour.

Twenty minutes later, the report came back.

No damage.

Gate clear.

Barge tied with four lines.

Jasper's shoulders dropped.

"So I was wrong."

Crowe looked at him.

"You reported an impression. We found no current hazard. Both statements can be true."

Ava nodded.

Jasper did not enjoy this.

Crowe increased harbour readiness anyway.

Harper asked, "Because of Jasper?"

"Partly. Repair works already increase storm risk. Jasper's report gives us another reason to be cautious. It is not the only reason."

That mattered.

No one made Jasper responsible for the decision.

Thorne joined them later.

He asked one question.

"What does the Titan feel like now?"

Jasper checked.

"Far away. But active."

"Moving toward us?"

"I think."

"Could it simply be reacting to the forecast front?"

"Maybe."

"Could the image have been memory?"

"Maybe."

"Could it have been showing current intention?"

Jasper swallowed. "Maybe."

Harper groaned. "This is the worst conversation."

Thorne almost smiled. "Uncertainty often is."

The children returned to residence with instructions to follow normal routine.

Normal routine became difficult.

Harper checked the western window every few minutes.

Ava watched public weather displays.

Jasper attempted homework.

The Water Titan remained at the edge of his awareness.

At eight thirty, the sky was still mostly clear.

By nine, cloud covered the horizon.

At lights-out, wind began.

Nothing extreme.

Jasper lay awake anyway.

The pressure gradually strengthened.

He did not reach.

Instead, he tried to understand what he was actually sensing.

Not one giant wave.

Something broader.

Currents shifting beneath currents.

Water responding to pressure before the surface weather fully showed it.

Maybe the Titan was not warning him.

Maybe Jasper was sensing the sea itself become active.

At ten twenty-three, the first hard gust struck the windows.

Rain followed.

The residence emergency lamp changed to yellow.

Mae walked the corridor.

"Windows shut. Shoes beside beds. Bags off the floor. Nothing dramatic."

Harper opened the door. "Harbour okay?"

"Yes."

"Storm warning?"

"Upgraded. Stronger than forecast, still within procedure."

Harper looked at Jasper.

Jasper did not feel pleased.

Being right about bad weather was not winning.

Near midnight, thunder began offshore.

Jasper finally slept.

He dreamed of the harbour gate.

Three surges.

A pause.

Three more.

On every third impact, something metal screamed.

Jasper woke to continuous bells.

Not yellow.

Emergency.

Room Fourteen moved before any of them were properly awake.

Shoes.

Jumpers.

Emergency bag.

Ava checked the route notice.

Mae shouted from the corridor.

"Internal shelter! Move!"

The forecast had been wrong.

And somewhere below them, the lower harbour gate had jammed.