Chapter 18: Lumen's Argument and Why It Almost Lands

The chairs were uncomfortable in the way that expensive chairs often are — designed for photographs rather than sitting, their angles subtly wrong, optimised for appearance over use. Mara noticed this within the first thirty seconds and suspected it was not accidental.

Lumen sat across from her and waited, which was itself a kind of argument. He had the particular patience of someone who has never needed to chase anything, because things tended, eventually, to move toward him.

"You said you wanted to understand," he said. "So understand."