The Whispering Echoes (Smoke and Mirrors Book 3)

by Melissa Giorgio

  Got it, he said after a moment. I told Ben about it, and he knows what you mean. Hang tight; we’ll be there soon.

  Soon? We were so far from Fairfield; it would take them at least another day to reach us.

  We left as soon as you told me what happened.

  I gasped in surprise. What?

  Leonid wouldn’t take no for an answer, and West was tired of arguing with him. We left, and with Ben trading the horses for fresh ones, we’ve been traveling steadily since then.

  A wave of emotions struck me, fast and hard, and I covered my mouth to hide a small sob of relief.

  “Irina?” Quinn’s small hand encircled mine.

  “The others are coming,” I told her.

  She pressed her lips together, fighting off tears. “I’m sorry I let him take the amplifier.”

  “No,” I breathed, shocked. Quinn blamed herself for what’d transpired? “Quinn, no, none of this is your fault. Emile was being controlled. I’m glad you gave it to him. He would have killed you, otherwise.”

  “Aeonia told him too.” Her lower lip trembled. “But he resisted.”

  My eyes found Claudette. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, her face devoid of emotion. “That’s because he’s good, Quinn. One of the best.”

  “Are we going to get him back?” she asked.

  “Absolutely,” I said without hesitation.

  STILL MORE TIME PASSED. I was able to get Quinn and Jaegger to eat and drink a little bit of food, but Claudette ignored me when I pressed some bread into her hand, letting it drop to the ground without acknowledgment. I avoided Aeonia altogether, and Elyse still slept. My stomach turned uneasily and I willed Vernen and the others to hurry.

  When the sun was just beginning to set, Jaegger picked his head up, sniffing the air. A few moments later I heard the sound of a coach rattling on the road and I stood, my heart thumping painfully in my chest. Leaving Jaegger and the others, I walked to the road, wishing and waiting.

  When the coach came into view and I spotted Ben’s familiar form, I nearly wept with relief. He pulled right up to us; the moment the coach came to a halt the door was thrown open and West emerged, satchel in hand.

  “Tell me,” he said.

  “Elyse won’t wake up. And Claudette… I think she’s hurt, too, but she won’t tell me. She won’t say anything, West.”

  Paling, he pushed past me, going first for Claudette, who was closer. He knelt at her side, murmuring something and she lifted her head slowly. When she saw it was West, her face crumpled as she began wailing. “They took my brother. They took Emile!”

  A gasp came from behind me. Spinning around, I saw Vernen, halfway out of the coach, shocked. Our eyes met and I could see the betrayal in his, silently asking me why I hadn’t said anything.

  “Vern, what is it?” Leonid’s voice echoed from inside the coach and I clutched my stomach, swaying on my feet. It hit me then, suddenly and fiercely, how much I needed to see him.

  Vernen shoved past me, radiating anger and ignoring Leonid’s question. My heart breaking as I watched my friend go, I shut my eyes briefly, steeling myself before I mounted the stairs to the coach.

  “Lark.” Leonid was sprawled out on one of the benches, his face slick with sweat and contorted with a grimace. I dove into his arms, listening to his heart racing through his shirt as I clung to him gingerly, afraid of hurting him. He smelled of alcohol and I made a face. “It helps dull the pain,” he said, noticing my expression. “But don’t worry about me right now. Are you all right?”

  “No.”

  He pulled away to assess me. As he did, Aden slipped by, squeezing me on the wrist before he exited the coach to help West and the others. Leonid was running his hands over my body, looking for wounds. “What happened?”

  “Everything.” So bone-achingly weary, I sank down on one of the seats, Leonid’s arm wrapped around my shoulders. “They killed a dragon—”

  “Jaegger?” he asked with dread in his voice.

  “No, the other one. The female one. Senia.” Saying her name caused something inside of me to break painfully. “They knew,” I continued. “Aeonia knew what to do. She used Claudette’s sword to first kill the dragon, and then broke open the stone.”

  The color drained from his face. “They’re free.”

  I nodded, sickened. “We failed.”

  “No.” Leonid’s voice throbbed with emotion. Clasping my hands in his, he shook his head. “We haven’t failed yet, Irina. We can stop them. We will stop them.”

  “How?” I shuddered. “Leonid, you didn’t see them. They emerged from the stone and they were already powerful. They killed Aurora easily. They took Emile. They—”

  “Were beaten once, and they can be beaten again,” Leonid said. “I will not let those three destroy the world. Not when I have so much to live for. My brother and sister. My friends. You.” He shook his head. “I’m not giving up. Are you, Lark?”

  I never had a chance to answer his question. A roar echoed across the plains and I was on my feet and halfway out the coach before I realized it. Leonid stumbled after me, following my gaze and cursing.

  Dragons.

  The sky was filled with dragons.

  Thank you to my dear friends for the city trips, the laughter, the book recommendations, the texts and all the little things that kept me afloat during 2016.

  Thank you to my family for their love and support. Especially thank you to my parents for being my biggest fans.

  Thank you to Regina Wamba for another gorgeous cover. This one is my new favorite!

  And thank you to my readers for continuing to read my books.

  Melissa Giorgio is a native New Yorker who graduated from Queens College with a degree in English. She's always dreamed of being a writer and has been creating stories (mostly in her head) since she was a little girl. Also an avid reader, Melissa loves to devour thick YA novels. When not reading or writing, she enjoys watching animated films, listening to music by her favorite Japanese boy band, or exploring Manhattan. She is also the author of the Silver Moon Saga.