Page 132 of Quicksilver

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The voices came from the left and right, from behind and in front of me.

We can be everywhere,they purred in unison.

They'd answered my question.Ithad? I couldn't fathom whether the voices inside the quicksilver belonged to one thingor many, but I hadn’t come to puzzle that out.Can you come out of the stone?I asked.

Out?

Out?

Out?

Whyyyyyyy?

The voices buzzed like the droning flies.

Because the warrior who owned you is angry with me. And I want to put you back together.

This was bizarre. I'd never had a two-way conversation with the quicksilver before. I hadn't even thought to try, which was foolish, perhaps, since it frequently didn't shut up.

Owned?

Owned?

We are not owned.

Plain as day, I heard the anger in the layered voices. I should have realized that possessive language might not have gone down well, but I'd said it now. The only way forward was damage control.

“You’re making a weird face,” Carrion whispered loudly. “Are you talking to it?”

“Yes, I'm talking to it. What do you think I'm doing?”

“I don't know. You look constipated.”

“Shh!”I closed my eyes so I could block him out.The female warrior who carried you, not owned you, I thought.She wishes to carry you again. Unless you can be put back together, she can't do that.

Fae and human desires do not concern us…

Us...

Us...

Damn. To be honest, the idea of being carried around by Danya wouldn't appeal that much to me either, but I hadn't thought I'd have to resort to bargaining tactics. If the quicksilverwas sentient, it was bound to want something, though. Anything capable of feeling and thinking always wanted something.

Whatdoesconcern you?I asked.

The quicksilver didn't reply right away. It seemed to be thinking about the question. After a long pause, it said,Music. Give us music, and we will obey.

Music? Gods and fucking sinners, what the hell did it want music for?

How about this? Allow me to reforge you, and I'll have someone sing a song just for you.

There was no way this was going to work. No way.

A song? From start to finish? For us to keep?

Keep?

Keep?

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