Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“Actually, I’ll be covering their first lesson,” Sandor jumped in.
“There are a few fundamentals I’d like to begin with.”
The glance he gave Sophie immediately conjured memories of
splattering red, and she felt more than a little sorry for her friends.
“Would you be willing to prepare the dummy you designed?”
Sandor added, directing the question to someone behind Sophie, and
she glanced over her shoulder to find Flori standing on the stairs.
But the tiny gnome didn’t seem to hear him.
She didn’t seem to hear anyone.
She stood frozen, one foot raised like she’d paused in the middle of
taking a step. Eyes focused on Tam.
“You okay?” Sophie asked, then had to call Flori’s name three times
before Flori blinked and nodded.
“Sorry,” Flori murmured, swaying softly as she made her way down
the rest of the stairs, passing Sophie and heading straight for Tam.
“That melody . . . I’ve felt whispers of it before.”
She waved her arms around, and Tam’s eyebrows crunched
together.
“Am I supposed to know what that means?” he asked.
“I don’t,” Sophie admitted.
Flori swayed harder, whispering something under her breath.
“What was that?” Sandor asked her.
Flori blinked. “Nothing really. It’s just . . . he’s carrying a rhythm.
Not a sound—more of a pulse. And I’ve felt it before.” She swayed
again for a few beats before turning to Sophie. “It’s the same pulse you
carry in your echoes. But his is much stronger.”
“Tam’s been training with shadowflux,” Sophie remembered. “So
maybe that’s what you’re sensing?”