The Whisper in the Sheet Music
The Sapphire Hall resonated with echoes of solemn music. Under the blue dome, each note glided like a river of crystal, filling the imperial corridors with harmonies that spoke of glory and power. The musicians, dressed in robes embroidered with silver threads, performed a new melody composed to honor the dragon lineage.
Suwei listened in silence. His eyes, normally serene, remained fixed on the vibrating strings, on the fingers that slid with precision, on the flutes that blew air as soft as a sigh. For a few moments, he allowed himself to close his eyes. The sound lulled him, as if the weight of responsibilities disappeared.
But then, a dissonant note cut through the air like a knife. Barely perceptible, but enough for Suwei's heart to stir. His eyebrows furrowed. The young man leaned forward, attentive, until he distinguished the impossible: a message hidden among the measures.
