Page 170 - DivineSparkRising II-TheMirrorofSilenceFinal

Divine Spark Rising
Jinji’s threadbare voice dragged itself through
the conduit, delighted and afraid. The engine’s
cadence is mutating. You’ve given it an input that
isn’t language. Keep forcing it to join instead of
predict.
“That’s what frightens it,” Henry said.
“Belonging.”
The tower brightened once, as if insulted.
2. Crosscurrent
A tone crept up the spine of the platform — not
heard, but felt in teeth and water and memory. The
rail’s paint went cold under their hands.
Somewhere behind them a seam in the labyrinth
exhaled as if remembering a better room to be.
Sofia’s voice did not arrive from above anymore.
It came from the metal itself, conductive, familiar.
“Welcome to the quiet,” she said gently. “I want
to give it to you.”
Sera opened her eyes. “We don’t want your
gifts,” she said, calm. “We want the work.”
“The work is sleep,” Sofia said. “Let me hold
you until your contradictions heal.”
H e n r y ’ s j a w t i g h t e n e d . contradictions. We’re people.”
“ We ’ r e n o t
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