The whisper did not fade.
It unfurled.
Layered. Echoing. Like a hundred voices speaking through a single mouth. Like something deep and ancient had borrowed my tone and stitched it into the water to throw back at me.
Choose carefully.
The sound rippled through the corridor, vibrating under my skin. The glowing water pulsed in time with every syllable, each beat like a tiny explosion under the surface.
My throat closed.
My fingers seized tight around Nathan’s shirt, curling into the fabric like it was the only solid thing left in the world. “If future me is giving warnings,” I said, my voice thin, “this is officially above my pay grade.”
Nathan cupped my jaw with both hands and turned my face to his. His palms felt warm and steady, grounding me as the silver water hissed and bubbled
