Page 142 - DivineSparkRising II-TheMirrorofSilenceFinal

Divine Spark Rising
On the wall nearest the stairs he wrote: SAY
LESS. DO TRUE. Then, smaller: PASS IT HAND TO
HAND.
Sera nodded. She pressed both palms to the
copper nearest the water and breathed that wrong
note the room had already decided to trust. The
plates warmed. The river vein lifted higher for
three breaths, then settled.
Above them, faint but real, a siren rose — not
police, not ambulance: a smooth, institutional note
meant to guide sheep. The Curator had noticed.
“We need to move,” Carolina said.
Good, Jinji said dryly. I was worried you were
too comfortable.
6. Exit Wounds
They retraced the graffiti spirals back toward the
surface. At the last bend before Access K, a shadow
tilted off the wall and became two bodies that wore
neutrality like uniforms. Redactors. Ordinary faces,
mirrored palms. Backward words that coaxed air to
be gentle until lungs forgot to fight.
Henry’s body wanted to slow. Sera’s eyes
narrowed. Carolina slipped her notebook between
her teeth and clapped the rhythm they’d used on
the wheel. Henry followed, off-time on purpose.
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