Silent Noise

Chapter 22: Shattered Reflections

Edenville.

The name pulsed like a warning in my skull, glowing neon red behind my eyes. That city wasn't just some random getaway spot—it was a viper's nest, crawling with secrets and sins, where my father's blood still stained the ground. And now Mom was there. Out of every damn place in the world, she chose Edenville for her little "vacation."

I paced the floor, my boots thudding against the worn carpet. The hum in my chest clawed at me, sharp and restless, like it wanted to scream through my ribs. I'd spent years protecting Mom from the truth—from the monsters in Edenville, from the death that lived in our past. I'd cleaned up Norwegick, set the town on fire with my vengeance. But Edenville? That was different. That was war.

Why was she there?

Was it really just a break? A single mom sipping overpriced coffee and walking in botanical gardens? Or was something else calling her—something tied to the "pact," to Dad's death, to the shadow that haunted our family?

I wanted to believe Denis. He'd called, voice calm, saying she was fine. "Just a mom on a trip," he said. "No red flags. She's smiling a lot. Seems...free." There wasn't a single catch in his tone, nothing overtly off. But still, my brain spun. I wasn't sure if it was paranoia or instinct anymore.

I dropped onto my bed, staring at the ceiling, Dad's knife on the table beside me like a loyal guard dog. His notebook lay open too, mocking me with the scrawled names and crossed-out lies. "Liriwick," "the pact," "M." Everything pointed back to Edenville. My stomach churned.

What if she found out about the things I've done? About the lives I've ruined to get here? About how far I've gone to chase a ghost with blood on his hands and a mask on his face?

I shook the thought away and stood, the hum vibrating louder. My chest was tight. Too tight. The room felt like a coffin. I needed air—but instead, I grabbed my glass water cup and hurled it across the room. It hit the mirror.

Shatter.

The crash echoed like a gunshot. Shards rained to the floor in a beautiful, terrifying mess.

I stared at the broken reflection—splintered fragments of my face scattered across the carpet. I didn't recognize myself. Not the messy hair, not the hollow eyes, not the cracked lips whispering curses under their breath.

I dropped to the floor, breath hitching, chest heaving. "Damn it," I muttered. "What the hell is happening to me?"

Was I losing it?

No. I couldn't. Not now.

Denis wasn't being shady—just careful. I knew him. He'd tell me if something was off. He wasn't the best liar anyway, especially when it came to me. And Mom? She'd been through hell. Maybe she needed peace. Maybe she finally found a sliver of joy and didn't want to share it just yet.

Still, the silence gnawed at me. Three days without her voice. Without the goofy "Mama cares, muah!" notes. Without her humming off-key in the morning. My world had gone quiet, and I hated it.

But tomorrow… tomorrow she'd be back.

Tomorrow, I'd see her eyes. I'd hear her voice. I'd know if something had changed. And if it had—if Edenville had touched her, if Mystery M had sent even a whisper her way—I'd find out.

I wasn't the little girl who cried in the closet anymore. I wasn't the quiet daughter who stayed in her lane. I was the Female King now. And if Edenville had taken anything from my mother—peace, truth, safety—I'd burn it to the ground to get it back.

The hum whispered in my bones, fierce and steady.

Be strong, my Female King.