Page 3 of The Scribe (Irin Chronicles 1)

“Yes.”

“What am I thinking?”

“I can’t tell you that. That’s not the way it works.”

“Do you sense my feelings?”

“It’s all in the tone of your voice. The voice I hear, anyway.”

“And what voice is that?”

“The one everyone has.”

“Everyone?”

She took a deep breath and he saw the hints of resignation again. “Every country and every age. Different voices speaking the same language. That’s what I hear.”

He leaned forward. “Every voice sounds the same?”

“Of course not. Everyone has a different voice. They just all speak the same language.”

“Everywhere in the world?”

“Everywhere I’ve traveled so far. So… a lot of it.”

“What language is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“What are they saying?”

Frustration flashed. “I don’t know.”

“So how do you—”

“It’s a language, doctor. There are rises and falls in the rhythm. There are common words and phrases I hear again and again. I hear the same things from the minds of people all over the world. I just don’t know what they’re saying.”

He had to pause to contain his reaction. It didn’t matter.

She cocked her head. “That’s exciting to you.”

He smiled. “It’s very interesting, Ava.”

“Interesting is one word for it.”

He heard the irritation in her voice. “Though I’m sure it is frustrating, as well. I imagine it can be quite distracting.”

The corner of her mouth turned up. “It’s enough to drive you crazy.”

Asner laughed a little, and Ava relaxed a bit. “How do you sleep?”

“Probably the same way you do. A bed is usually involved, but I’m pretty comfortable on trains, too. Planes are harder. Buses, practically impossible.”

“What a clever and humorous deflection of my question.” He stretched his legs in front of him, almost spanning the small office. “When you sleep, do you dream?”

“Vividly. Always have.”

“And these voices… do you hear them in your dreams?”

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