The Brutality of Silence

Lyra stood at the center of the entry hall, the quiet pressing in as Bianca’s words settled slowly into her chest.

This is where I go when I need silence.

The meaning lingered, heavier than the sentence itself. It wrapped around her, unfamiliar and unexpectedly intimate.

“Aunt Bianca…” Lyra hesitated, fingers curling slightly at her sides. “You… you mean you…”

Bianca’s expression softened. She