STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

grounding him. Conversation flowed easily, touching on the bar’s aesthetic before drifting toward recent events.

Midway through the conversation, Leona leaned forward, eyes alight. “Oh, oh, oh! Did you see the graffiti on the news this morning? It’s... bold, I’ll give them that. ”

Darius laughed, shaking his head. “Bold? It’s chaos on a wall. People like that want attention, that’s all.”

Carter tilted his glass thoughtfully. “It’s not just chaos. There’s a pattern to it. It might not follow AstroSYS logic, but that doesn’t mean it’s meaningless.”

“Alright, philosopher, what’s your grand theory? What are they trying to say? ”

Carter traced the rim of his glass. “Maybe it’s a challenge. A way to remind people that there’s more to life than perfect alignment.”

Lucien frowned, his fingers grazing the edge of his drink. “More to life? Like what? ”

A pause settled over the table.

Leona leaned back, voice casual but pointed. “Like whatever’s missing. Don ’t tell me you don’t feel it sometimes, Lucien—that nagging itch, like something ’s out of place.”

The words landed heavier than expected, catching him off guard. He glanced down at his drink, the scent of orange peel and bitters rising from the glass.

Out of place.

What does that even mean?

Darius, sensing the shift in mood, quickly steered the conversation back to lighter territory, nodding toward the exhibition building outside. “Well, let’s hope this art show has some answers. Otherwise, Leona ’s going to start vandalizing walls herself. ”

She snorted, throwing a crumpled napkin at him as the group laughed.

Lucien forced a small smile, but his thoughts remained elsewhere. The graffiti. The words. That feeling he couldn ’t shake.

Do you feel it yet?

Taking another sip of his drink, he stared out the window, watching the distant crowd gather near the exhibition hall. Maybe tonight would provide something more than another distraction.

Maybe.

***

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