Flashback ( PDFDrive )

TWENTY-ONE
THE GILDED MEMORIES CALLED TO Sophie, like warm sunlight
streaming through wide-open windows, daring her to see where they
led—and that was before she saw a fleeting glimpse of herself.
She hadn’t meant to peek—and only caught the briefest flash as she
struggled to disregard anything with a golden sheen. But it was
enough to tell her the memory was recent.
In fact, she was pretty sure it was from the day she’d opened her
Level Three finals presents and found the incredible drawings Keefe
had done for her. But she’d lived that moment with him—so why
didn’t he want her to see his memory of it?
It’s hard to ignore the gold, huh? Fitz transmitted, his crisp voice
saving her from taking a longer look.
Yeah, she admitted, feeling shame burn across her consciousness.
Keefe deserved as much privacy as they could give him.
But that didn’t stop the curiosity from itching, itching, itching.
I always forget how vivid his mind is, she thought, forcing herself to
focus on the broader mental landscape—a dense whirl of flashing
memories, laced with a soundtrack of blaring voices. Keefe’s
photographic memory retained every detail, sound, and thought,
forming a storm of color and noise. It’s . . . disorienting.
It is, Fitz agreed. Though it’s still way less intense than yours.
Her heart stalled at that.