Free The Canticle of Whispers by David Whitley

Tertius and Septima stood up, and snatched at the stalactites that hung just above the track, even though actually touching one would have struck their hands off in a second.
    Lily wanted to yell, to scream at them to slow down. But then she saw the expression on Septima’s face. It was thrilled, desperate, determined to touch these rocks, even if she was thrown from the cart to her death. And it was terrifying, because she just didn’t care.
    Lily crouched down, and tried not to look.
    The cart hurtled along the tracks, its wheels screaming against the metal. Lily was no longer looking out. She huddled in the bottom of the cart, while above her, Tertius and Septima laughed with delight and whooped as the cart lurched and dipped. In the background, Lily could just hear the crunch and whir of the gears as they powered the cart along.
    And then, just as suddenly, it stopped.
    Lily groaned, her head spinning. She looked up. Septima and Tertius were standing over her, lit from behind.
    â€œWe’re here,” Septima said. “Welcome to the Hub, Lily.”
    Cautiously, Lily pulled herself to her feet, and looked out over the edge of the cart, shielding her eyes against the sudden brightness.
    The Hub was dazzling—an immense, monolithic pillar of crystal glowing and radiating a brilliant cascade of light. It stood at the center of a cavern so huge it dwarfed the Rail Nexus. As Lily watched, the colors in the Hub shifted and merged, like smoke. Lily remembered, buried in the depths of her pack, her own little crystal that had led her here. That too absorbed light, glimmering with a tiny flame. But this was like an inferno to that flame. It would have been hard to look at it under normal circumstances, but after spending the last few days squinting in the darkness, the sudden brilliance nearly knocked her backward. Even Septima and Tertius, she noticed, averted their eyes, as though the light was painful to them as well.
    â€œYou … live here?” Lily asked, blinking furiously. Septima laughed.
    â€œNo one could live under the Hub itself—the flame of truth burns too brightly. Except for the Oracle…”
    Tertius silenced Septima with a look and stepped out of the cart, standing between Lily and the worst of the light. He was unsmiling.
    â€œBut we’ve brought you here,” he said, seriously, “because no lies can survive beneath its light.” He leaned closer—closer than he had ever come to Lily before. “Tell us quickly, is it true?”
    Lily’s eyes began to adjust. Behind Tertius, she began to make out the silhouettes of people, clustered around the Hub, dressed just as brightly as her companions. As she watched, one small figure detached itself from the group, and began to walk toward them.
    â€œIs what true?” Lily said, suddenly confused and fearful.
    â€œAre you mentioned in the Midnight Charter?” Tertius said, more forcefully.
    â€œTertius…” Septima said, suddenly scared. “He’s coming.”
    â€œTell us now!” Tertius nearly shouted. “We need something to bargain for our safety!”
    â€œWhy? Who’s coming, who…” Lily’s confusion mounted, and then her words stuck in her throat. “The Conductor—you brought me to him, didn’t you?”
    â€œTell me!” Tertius snarled, all pretense of friendship gone. “You stupid, tuneless piece of…”
    â€œNow, now, this won’t do at all…” said an unfamiliar voice.
    Tertius and Septima stiffened, and turned together. Lily poised herself to run, to try and get away, and stopped.
    The Conductor stood before them. He was middle-aged, plump, and wore a pair of thick, heavy spectacles. He was a little shorter than Lily, and clad in a black, dusty gown, quite a contrast to everyone else, though he was still pale and white-haired. He was also, Lily noticed, with growing surprise, completely without any kind