The last echo of Gilgal Village faded into a humming silence in Kai's head as he lowered his gaze to the ground, right beneath the robotic human.
He stood still, arms still extended toward where his mother's face had appeared, his fingers trembling against the empty air.
Tears welled up in his eyes when he tilted his head slightly upward, watching the smiling face of the robot.
Merlin watched and said nothing. After three heartbeats, he walked to Kai, placed a hand on his shoulder, and whispered quietly, "Come. There's more for you tonight."
More room opened for them as they walked through.
When they stepped out of the building, Kai didn't remember the time he moved a step, walking through the living corridors, or even the soldiers that stepped aside when they saw him coming out.
The only thing he remembered was the weight of the necklace that kept tapping on his chest like a second heartbeat.
…
