Page 81 - DivineSparkRising II-TheMirrorofSilenceFinal

Nicholas Boothman
someone who had removed every unnecessary
word.
Henry exhaled, bitterness catching in his throat.
“Hello, Professor.”
Sofia’s voice came from everywhere and
nowhere. Speakers, glass, earrings, the metal rim of
a kettle. The air itself became an instrument.
“Good evening, Tangier,” she said. “You’ve been
very honest lately. Honesty is a beautiful way to
bleed.”
Zhara’s hands clenched. “She’s in the loop
already.”
Carolina didn’t blink. “Count the cadence,” she
said to Henry. “Four beats, then two. My old
templates. She’s sedating the limbic system with
rhythm.”
Sofia’s gaze seemed to rest on the rooftop,
though Henry knew she couldn’t truly “see” in the
human sense—not like this.
“Some of you think noise is freedom,” Sofia
continued. “You’ve mistaken confusion for
courage. You’ve mistaken pain for proof you’re
alive. I remember making the same mistake.”
Hafid spit onto the roof. “Liar.”
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