The Whispering City

Dedication

For Namanda Gaita,

who always knows my voice in the dark,
and answers when it matters.

Thank you for being real, steady and kind,
and for being the one thing I never have to wonder if I remember correctly.

THE WHISPERING CITY

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author, except for brief quotations used in reviews or articles.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, organisations, departments, records and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The city of Veyra does not exist. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, to actual events, or to actual locations or institutions is entirely coincidental.

First edition, 2026.