"Hope," she whispered, and, taking an end in each hand, she
snapped the stick in half.  Across an ocean, the snapping
screamed like a klaxon in the head of an old man in a library.
Neither of them was aware of this happening, but it was very

I was momentarily confused by who you were referring to by "neither"

Could these events be a sign that the end is near?  I don't think
Kuno's dead, but I have trouble imagining why he wouldn't be.