The silence after Xiuhcoatl’s words was the kind that didn’t just linger—it pressed. It pressed against ribs. Against reason. It curled around the base of the spine and hissed:
Only the strong deserve to live.
The rest?
Let them burn.
Sofia didn’t move right away. Didn’t flinch or gasp, probably like so many had around him before. She simply blinked.
Once.
Then again.
And laughed.
It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t cruel.
It was light—like an exhale she hadn’t meant to let go. A little bitter. A little amused. Like someone watching a child smash a plate and call it justice.
Xiuhcoatl’s gaze snapped to hers.
“You think I’m a joke?” he asked, voice even—but the pulse in his throat betrayed him. Jaw tight. Shoulders squared.
Sofia tilted her head, the curve of her mouth unreadable. “No,” s
