The Burning Chaos (Smoke and Mirrors Book 2)

by Melissa Giorgio

  I slid off my chair and joined him at the map. “Are these all the apothecaries in the city?”

  “No.” Leonid frowned. “You’d be surprised at how many exist, Lark. I know I was.” He pointed to another symbol, a horizontal line. “These are the ones that we still need to visit.”

  “This is going to take forever,” I said in a low voice.

  “I know. And we’re already spreading ourselves thin, with added security both here and at my family’s home.” Leonid traced a hand across the map. “Do you see anything, Lark? Like last time?”

  Last time I’d noticed that the location of Bantheir’s killings formed a symbol—a symbol I hadn’t been able to figure out until after I saw the pentacle in the stained glass window at the Church of the Essence. This time, I wasn’t sure what Leonid expected me to see. The apothecaries were spread throughout the city randomly. “How do you even know it was purchased from an apothecary? Couldn’t it have been obtained in a darkened alleyway?” I thought about my meeting with Aeonia and shuddered.

  He sighed, leaning his head against the wall. “I know.”

  “So, clearly, even after all this time, you’ve learned nothing,” Raynard called from the table.

  Leonid’s hand twitched toward his belt. “I’m going to stab him if he doesn’t shut up.” He spoke low, so I was the only one in the room who heard him.

  “I won’t stop you if you do,” I told him. This earned me a small smirk, and I grabbed his hand, squeezing it. “Don’t listen to him.” That I said loudly, and Raynard scowled at me. “You’re doing fine. And I’m probably wrong about the alleyway. The apothecary has to be the answer. Why else would they have sent someone to attack your sister? You’re getting close to the truth, and they’re desperate to stop you.”

  “Have you gotten anything out of the attacker?” West asked, looking up from his notebook. “I know he can’t speak, but you can still discover things about someone based on their clothes, personal possessions…”

  “He was hired by someone,” Parnaby said. “In addition to the poison and syringe, we found a small bag of gold coins on him.”

  “So he was hired by someone from Rise,” I said. Gold was rare in Way, and nonexistent in the slums.

  “Possibly.”

  “Someone who knows Leonid is working on this case.” I glanced at him. “And knows about your family. It could be one of your men.”

  He stubbornly shook his head. “Out of the question.”

  “If not your men, then who?”

  A pained expression crossed Leonid’s face. “I don’t know.”

  And that was the problem. We didn’t know nearly enough, and whoever had killed those fourteen people and hired that man to attack Leonid’s family was running around Dusk, ready to act again. He or she could be killing someone right now, while we were discussing the case, and we still wouldn’t be any closer to discovering the truth.

  So many questions, but never enough answers. What would it take to find out the truth?

  THERE WAS A KNOCK ON the closed door, startling us. Parnaby recovered first, calling out, “Enter.” The door opened to reveal a soldier who was vaguely familiar. It took me a moment to place him; he’d been at Pelltrock’s prison, teasing Aden.

  Crossing the room, the soldier handed Parnaby a sealed letter. The president broke the seal, his face paling as he read the contents of the letter. When his gaze darted to Leonid, my stomach dropped. Did something else happen to his family?

  “Parn, what is it?” Elyse said, joining him.

  “It appears we were wrong,” Parnaby said slowly. “About many things. The butler just confessed. He was the one who put the burning chaos in the wine glasses.”

  I looked at Leonid in surprise. He was already shaking his head. “That’s impossible.”

  “What’s impossible?” Raynard asked, smirking. “That you made a mistake?”

  “The butler didn’t do it,” Leonid insisted. “There was no motive. He had a good life with that family—”

  Raynard cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand. “He’s a servant. His family probably originated in the slums. You can’t trust people like that.”

  I stiffened, wanting nothing more than to cross the room and smack the sneer right off of Raynard’s face. I’d had enough of his prejudices!

  “I need to go.” Leonid was a blur of motion as he grabbed his notes and stuffed them into his worn satchel. After putting on his coat, he swung the strap of the satchel over his shoulder and headed for the door. “This isn’t right. Something’s wrong. Wilson didn’t… He didn’t do it!”

  “As much as I’d love to come along and see you proven wrong,” Raynard said, standing, “I’ve had enough of this circus act. Let me know when you’ve come up with some real answers, Parnaby. The council is waiting.” He swept from the room before anyone could answer.

  “Good riddance,” West muttered under his breath. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aden nodding in agreement.

  “Wait a moment, Leonid,” Parnaby said before Leonid could rush from the room. “I’m coming with you.”

  “Sir?” Leonid asked. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  The president’s face was troubled. “Your instinct has never steered you wrong before, so clearly something is amiss. If magic is involved, you’ll need me there to detect it.”

  Magic. The word washed over me, freezing me in place. Magic.

  The sudden confession from the butler—this was Aeonia’s doing. She’d promised me a distraction, and here it was. With Parnaby out of the mansion, I’d have my chance to search for the amplifier.

  How’d she get him to confess? I wondered. Did she threaten him, too? I shook my head. Whatever the case, I couldn’t afford to waste this opportunity.

  Pressing my back against the wall, I breathed deeply as I steeled myself. Leonid wouldn’t like what I was about to say. “I’m going to stay here.”

  Leonid’s brow crinkled in confusion. “Lark?”

  “Yesterday was such a long day. I’m exhausted, and the thought of returning to Way and then back here again…” I trailed off, hoping his instinct wouldn’t pick up on my feeble lie as my cheeks warmed with both anger and embarrassment. Again and again I lied to Leonid; would this ever stop? Find the amplifier, and it will, I thought. “I’m fine. Go, Leonid. Find out what really happened. You don’t need me for that.”

  He lifted a hand to touch me on the cheek, his calloused fingers rough against my skin. “I always need you, Lark. But you’re right. After what happened yesterday, you should rest. And right now, the mansion is probably the safest place in all of Dusk.”

  I almost snorted at that. If he only knew…

  “Leonid, we need to go,” Parnaby said, hovering in the doorway with Elyse and Aden. Only West remained at the table, watching me with a frown on his face.

  “I’ll be back soon,” Leonid promised. If he wondered why I wouldn’t look him in the eye, he was in too much of a rush to say anything. After a quick kiss on the lips, he followed the others out of the room.

  I watched him go, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. Was it wrong to feel relieved that he’d left?

  “So, you want to tell me what that was all about?” West asked, folding his arms over his chest.

  “West, I can’t.” With a loud sigh, I leaned against the wall, next to the map of Dusk. Time was ticking, and I couldn’t waste it explaining things to West.

  “Why?” He pushed his chair away from the table with a loud screech and stood. “Aren’t we friends? Don’t I have a right to know?”

  I opened my mouth to protest again, but instead I was hit with a sudden heavy weariness. I was so sick of lies. And besides, maybe West could help me find the amplifier.

  If he doesn’t run straight to Pelltrock’s prison to inform Parnaby of my treachery, I thought. Pushing my fears aside, I told him everything, starting from the moment I met Aeonia at the magic show.

  When I finished, the silenc
e in the room was deafening. West had sat back down again, staring not at me but at the table. “Say something,” I pleaded.

  “You should have told the captain,” West replied. “You’ve got a madwoman threatening you, and you’re telling me about it? What am I supposed to do, Irina?”

  I blinked back tears. “Help me?”

  West gestured wildly around the room. “Do you even know where to start looking for this amplifier? And what’s to say it’s even here? Wouldn’t Parnaby carry something that important with him at all times?”

  “No, it’s here,” I said firmly. “Aeonia would have taken it from Parnaby if he had it in his possession. Remember, she was able to trap him when he cast the teleportation spell. If she can do that, then I’m sure stealing the amplifier would be even easier for her.” I pointed to the wall. “It’s hidden somewhere in this mansion, and we just have to find it.”

  “So, where do we start?” a new voice asked from the doorway. Both West and I jumped.

  “Vernen!” I exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” After what had happened the previous night, I hadn’t expected to ever see him in the mansion again.

  “I came to apologize to Leon, but I see now’s not the time for that…” Vernen’s eyes shone with worry. “Irina, West is right. You should have said something to Leon. But,” he continued before West could chime in, “it’s too late now. Quinn is in trouble? Then we have to hurry and find the amplifier before it’s too late.”

  Feeling a rush of gratitude, I threw my arms around Vernen. He hesitated before hugging me back. “It’s going to be all right, Irina,” he said. “We’ll save Quinn.”

  “Not that I’m a heartless bastard who would let a kid die,” West said, standing slowly, “but we all realize this is a huge mistake, right? Handing over something powerful to an obviously deranged woman?”

  Vernen shrugged. “Who says we’ll hand it over?”

  “You have a plan?” My heart leapt with excitement.

  “No, but I’m sure we’ll think of something,” Vernen said.

  West groaned. “We’re all doomed.”

  “Let’s save Quinn first,” I said, “and then we’ll worry about what comes next.”

  “Fine, but remember that I was the one who said this was a bad idea.” West gathered his things and placed them inside his satchel before joining me and Vernen at the doorway. “When Parnaby kills us, I want that inscribed on my tombstone. ‘He thought this was a bad idea.’”

  “West, please,” I said. As if I wasn’t already nervous enough.

  He smirked. “Just trying to lighten the mood.” Noticing my scowl and Vernen’s frown, he said, “Not working?”

  “No,” we answered in unison.

  “Fine.” West gestured toward the hallway, indicating Vernen should go first. I followed, and West brought up the rear. “So. If I was Parnaby—which is a very scary thought, by the way—where would I hide the amplifier?”

  I clenched my left hand into a fist. Jae, are you there?

  The dragon never had a chance to answer. Vernen stopped short and, distracted, I crashed into him. West held out a hand to steady me. After nodding my thanks, I peered around Vernen to see Raynard standing in the hallway, flanked by two soldiers. His face was twisted into a satisfied smirk. “Ah, just the person I was looking for. Come, Irina, you have a job to do.” His smile spread even wider across his face. “It’s time to find the amplifier.”

  I COULD FEEL VERNEN AND West’s eyes on me, but it was impossible to tear my gaze from Raynard’s face. How—why? Why did he know about the amplifier? Had he listened in as I explained things to West? But wouldn’t Vernen have seen him standing in the hallway?

  No, I thought. It was more than that. I could tell from the way he was proudly holding himself, like he was the only one in the room who knew a secret. Somehow, Raynard knew all about the amplifier.

  But who had told him? As far as I knew, only a handful of people were aware of its existence. Raynard obviously didn’t hear about it from me, Quinn, or Parnaby. Which left only one other person:

  Aeonia.

  He was working with Aeonia? But why? To overthrow Parnaby? How did the councilor even know Aeonia? Had he sought her out, or vice versa?

  Vernen took a step back, effectively blocking me from Raynard’s view. Next to me I felt West tense as he slid a knife from his belt.

  The two soldiers placed their hands on the hilts of their swords, and West asked, “Thorton, Dillon, what are you doing? We’re all on the same side here.”

  “No, we’re not,” Raynard said, answering for them. He gestured to the two soldiers. “They’ve seen the truth. They know Parnaby no longer deserves to be in power.”

  We gaped at him. So that’s what this was? Raynard was betraying Parnaby so he could become president?

  “So you’re planning on, what, leading a coup?” West asked, making no effort to hide his disgust.

  “It’s rather simple,” Raynard said, his voice echoing off the walls. He was standing tall, his hands crossed in front of him and resting on his large stomach, and I imagined this was the pose he used when delivering speeches in front of the council. “A few months ago, I met a woman of immense power. She told me something very interesting about our dear president. She thought I didn’t know about the magic he was using to dupe everyone in the city, but I did know about it. What I didn’t realize was that Parnaby was also using magic to make me blindly follow his orders. There’s no free will in this city. Each and every one of us believes in the president because we have to. We don’t have a choice otherwise. Is this fair? Is this just?” He smacked his hands together to emphasize his words. “Or is this a gross abuse of powers that should not even exist in this day and age?”

  I glanced at West and Vernen in turn, but neither soldier’s face betrayed what they were thinking or feeling.

  “Parnaby is nothing but a dictator,” Raynard continued. “And what he’s doing needs to stop. Now.” He pointed a finger at me, and I shifted uncomfortably. “That is why Irina needs to find the amplifier. Without that aiding him, Parnaby will be forced to step down, allowing someone capable to rule in his place.”

  “Someone like you, you mean,” West said.

  Raynard smiled. “The thought may have crossed my mind.”

  “That’s quite possibly the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard in my entire life,” West said, causing the councilor’s face to redden with anger.

  “You really don’t want to cross me, Grayson.” Raynard snapped his fingers and the two soldiers flanking him unsheathed their swords. The sound of the blades whispering against the sheaths caused shivers to run down my spine. “You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

  “Besides threatening children, you mean?” West adjusted his grip on his knife.

  “I don’t just threaten.” Raynard brushed some lint from his fine silk shirt. “I take action. I get things done. Like with the Ashton brat.”

  “No!” I pushed my way in front of Vernen and West, ignoring their protests. “That was you?”

  “Yes, yes. That was brilliant, wasn’t it?” Raynard clearly looked like he was enjoying himself as he filled in all the details for us. “I personally went to the slums and hired that man to send a message to Leonid to back off. He was a poor, wretched soul, squatting in the doorway of an abandoned building. I gave him a purse full of coins, a fine dagger, the poison, and instructions on what to do. And then Aeonia’s sister cut out his tongue so he couldn’t tell anyone what he’d done or who’d hired him. We expected him to get caught, you see. He wasn’t very bright, but what do you expect when you come from the slums?” Raynard chuckled. “I mean, the fool was wandering around the maze instead of making his escape! Did he get lost? And then he attacked you, Irina, which was brilliant, although Aeonia was furious about that. She wants you alive. I told her if we really wanted to send a message to Leonid, we should poison you, but she refused. You’re the ‘special’ one that can find the amplifier, after all.” Hi
s voice dripped with sarcasm as he made no effort to hide his real feelings about me. As if I didn’t already know. To him, I would always be a dumb girl from the slums, a girl who didn’t belong in Rise or Way.

  “What about the family in Rise?” West demanded. “Did you pour the burning chaos into their glasses? Or did you force some poor soul to do your bidding that day as well?”

  Raynard shrugged. “It was the butler. I will cherish the look on Leonid’s face when he realized he was wrong for the rest of my life.”

  My heart sank. Up until now, I’d thought Aeonia had forced Wilson to confess. Like Leonid, I hadn’t believed the butler was capable of doing such a thing. He loved that family and took pride in his job—not to mention how horrified he’d been at Leonid’s suggestion that Wilson had missed seeing the powder in the glasses. Was that all an act? But how had he’d been able to fool Leonid?

  “Aeonia did quite a number on the butler.” Raynard was speaking proudly, and I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of relationship he had with the woman. “She fashioned him a bracelet, one he couldn’t take off, no matter what he tried. And while he wore it, he was forced to do her bidding. Today, she took the bracelet off, and he realized what he’d done to that family.”

  “That’s sick,” West said. “What did that family ever do to you, Raynard?”

  “They supported Parnaby,” Raynard cut in, his voice lowering in anger. “They agreed to his increased taxes on the rich to help better the slums.”

  “You killed them because they were trying to help the poor?” I asked, incredulous. How dare he? This man thought he was good enough to preside over Dusk? Parnaby, for all of his faults, at least cared about the slums. Raynard, meanwhile, was murdering people with a smile on his face. “What kind of sick bastard are you? You’re worse than Bantheir!”

  He lunged for me, but West was faster, pushing me out of the way and hurling his knife at Raynard. His aim was off, though, and he only succeeded in grazing Raynard’s arm. One of the soldiers darted forward and smashed the hilt of his sword against West’s temple. I cried out in horror as West’s eyes rolled up into his head and he crumpled to the floor.