Page 118 of The Silent
“He’s one of theFallen.”
Prija’s lipcurled.
“But he’s not… predatory. Or not always. He has helped us in the past. And he wants to killArindam.”
“Wings,” Prija choked out. “Not…real.”
“They look realtome.”
Prija shook her head. “Created.Mind.”
“He can create wings withhismind?”
Prijanodded.
“So Prija”—Leo leaned forward—“if he can create things in his mind, what canyoudo?”
Prija’s eyes dropped to the weaving. Then she looked at Kyra. “Shehearshim?”
“Yes. But she doesn’t know how to write musicthisway.”
“I don’t.” Prija shook her head. “Intira… not understand. Not all mindslikehers.”
Leo’s heart sank. “So this means nothingtoyou?”
“I know what it means,” Prija said. Her voice was growing stronger the longer shespoke.
Leo handed her water and watched while shedrank.
“I know,” Prija said, her voice a little smoother. “But I don’t hear anymore. She thought she could write the music so I could play, but her mind sees things that othersdon’t.”
Leo didn’t know how to wrap his mind around that, but he tried to make sense of what Prija was saying. “So you’re saying that if you could hear what the angel sounds like, you cando…what?”
“Is my instrument still in thecomplex?”
“Yes.”
“Then I can do whatIdo.”
“Is that how you killed yourfather?”
Prija offered him a narrowsmile.
Leo turned to Kyra, who’d been waiting patiently while Prija and Leo spoke in words she had no way of understanding. “Can you sing Arindam’s song toPrija?”
She blinked. “CanIwhat?”
“Canyousing—”
“I can’t sing. Leo, you know Ican’t—”
“Not magical singing. Just… singing. Let her hear what the Fallen sounds like. To your ears,singthat.”
Kyra shook her head. “Ican’t.”
“Whynot?”
“There are harmonics. There are multiple notes.Thereare—”
