I woke to the sound of nothing at all and for a moment I thought the garden had died in the night.
Julian was already awake. His fingers moved slow through my hair. The blooms above us were still. No hum. No pull. No heat in the ground.
“Morning,” he said.
“Is it?” I asked. “Feels like the whole place is holding its breath.”
“It is just quiet. Real quiet. We should get up and see what the day looks like when nothing needs us.”
We dressed without hurry. Outside the grove the air was cool and clear. People moved along the paths in small groups. No one ran. No one looked strained.
Neri waved from the pool. The water was smooth as glass.
“Any call?” I asked when we reached her.
“None,” she said. “Not even a ripple. The new pairs swam early and left. They looked lighter.”
Kael came up
