Whisper (The Whisper Trilogy)

by Dana Faletti

  “Now you sound like my mother, Callie, who by the way has gone completely over the edge. No, really, I think I sent her into a mid life crisis.” Pop. “I feel kinda guilty.”

  “I bet.”

  At that moment, a voice bellowed from down the hall. “Mila, get back in your room, right now!”

  “Speaking of old crazy… Here she comes now.” Mila turned to head back into her room. “Anyways, Cal Pal, I don’t know how you got out of here before me, but I’ll head over when they release me. We’ve got lots to talk about, and you, girl, are going to dish.”

  “Uh, Mila.” I wasn’t sure if there was protocol for this or not, so I had to act on instinct. “There’s kind of a lot we need to talk about.” I looked to Josh, and he shrugged and raised his eyebrows. “Do me a favor and don’t tell anybody about all of this.”

  “Why not?”

  Because you’ll be transferred to floor three where they treat the psych patients. “Just trust me. Can it be another one of our secrets for now? I promise I’ll tell you everything when you get out. Just let me come to you, okay?”

  She didn’t say anything for a second. “Whatever. But, I get to hold the sword.”

  Joshua chuckled. “Deal.”

  And then I hugged her quickly. Lilli was closing in on us, staring at Joshua and me like we had three heads each. It felt so good to feel Mila’s cheek against mine. Though I was totally flummoxed by this turn of events, I had to admit, I was happy I still had her, at least for today.

  “Thanks for saving my life, Cal Pal.” She whispered.

  Ummm, how did I respond to that one? “Mila – “

  She pulled away and faced me. “I’ll never forget it.”

  We’d see about that.

  “I love you, girl.” I told her, and I meant it.

  She held out her little finger for a pinkie swear, something we used to do when we were kids. I locked mine with hers and smiled.

  “See ya in a minute, Cal.”

  “K.”

  And she disappeared into her room, her mother marching behind her, worriedly. I could hear her reprimanding Mila. “What are you doing out of that bed? Who are those kids you were talking to?”

  It was so weird that she didn’t know me. This was going to take some getting used to.

  “So, what do you make of it, this Mila girl?” Silas asked.

  “Never, in over two hundred years, have I seen that happen.” Joshua told him.

  I shrugged and put one arm around the three flapping micros, pulling them into me. Then I locked hands with Joshua. We stepped into the empty elevator together, and I pushed the lobby button.

  “Well, maybe it’s the domino effect.” I told them, grinning widely. Joy had taken up residence in every fiber of my being, every crevice was smiling.

  Joshua questioned me first with his eyes. “Domino effect?”

  “I think Dominos-” Silas began, “are a game of tiny dotted blocks.”

  “Yeah, Einstein, I know what Dominos are.” Joshua got annoyed with Silas more easily than I did even. I had to snicker.

  “What I mean is this. Joshua and I – we’ve bent the rules a bit, right?”

  “Well, Calliope,” Silas rolled his eyes and started to purse his lips again and then stopped himself, sighing. “Yes, you have basically rewritten them. The both of you that is.” He waved his wing at Joshua, who grinned at him.

  “That’s what I’m trying to say.” I paused, trying not to sound like a know it all when actually… well... “Maybe one change is causing other changes to occur too, like Mila. Do you get me?”

  “Aye, Mama. I have a headache, Callie. Come on Jixer. She ees perfectly fine, obviously. Let’s go find something to do.” And poof, they were gone.

  Silas stared at me, at us. “I have to say I never thought I’d see this day.” And then Silas did something he’d never done in all the months he’d been coaching me. He encircled me in his wings, and he called me by my nickname. “I’m relieved you’re okay, Callie. It was close back there. I want nothing more than for you to succeed at this, to excel, to – “

  “It’s cool, Silas. Thanks for being a great teacher, even though you’re a total pain in the arsenal.”

  He stood so straight then and smiled broadly. “You are welcome.” And poof. He was gone too. Where he’d disappeared to and how long he’d stay away, we couldn’t know. But, I was sure I’d see Silas again soon.

  “So, what now pretty girl?”

  “I don’t know. What do you want to do?” I stared up at him, breathless. We were alone in the parking lot of the hospital. The air was heavy and smelled like city. I moved into him, getting closer than I’d dared in the past. There was only us now. I tilted my head up to his, waiting to feel his lips brush my own. His arms curled around my back, his hands tangled themselves willingly in my hair. I closed my eyes. This was the moment I’d been waiting for.

  “Calliope, take my hand.”

  I simultaneously jerked my head back, rolled my eyes, in typical sixteen year old fashion and grunted out the words, “Seriously, Silas?”

  “Nope. Just kidding.” Snicker. Chuckle. Poof.

  Epilogue

  And He watched them, with a twinkle in His eye and a grin on His lips. Hand in hand, they strolled down an empty alley, stopping to pet a stray cat. He marveled at how tender they were. This was their story.

  He wasn’t a fan of the phrase “Rules are made to be broken.” Some things had to be governed by rules. There was a time and a place for black and white.

  There was also a lot of down time in between for shades of grey and rainbows. These two were the epitome of the phrase “a grey area,” and together, they were as brilliant as any rainbow He’d ever created. They didn’t seem to want to fit into His rulebook, and so, because He could, He decided to make an exception; their story was quite exceptional you know.

  Beautiful day it was down there where those two were. Not a cloud in the sky. He chuckled to Himself, as usual enjoying the moments He spent watching over His creations. They were all so unique. There wasn’t one He couldn’t remake from memory. That’s how well He knew each and every one, human and angel alike.

  Next He looked in on the one in the hospital, the girl whose sight had returned. She was another story altogether, and she would be the first of many, He thought. Some may find it strange for her to lead the way into a new chapter of life on earth, but He knew she was the right choice with all of her visible imperfections and raw attitude.

  He turned, closing the curtain on the world He had created so long ago. Over thousands of years, so many things had changed, developed. In recent times, things started spiraling out of control. Technology in just the last few decades had changed things so rapidly.

  That was okay though. Soon, He thought, things were going to get very interesting.

  Peeking around the curtain one more time, He stole a glimpse of the two Arcs, locked in an embrace. Lovers and warriors. He had to give it to them – it was a new way of thinking. A love story packed with action and adventure. Why not?

  Yes, things were going to get interesting. A different kind of change was on its way.

  And, when they weren’t busy slaying the enemy’s minions, these two lovebirds would be the ones to welcome it.

  Goodnight worlds. Goodnight creations. He closed the curtain one last time and moved on… to His next story.

  The End

  Look for Wake, book two of the Whisper Trilogy, in which Calliope Evans, teenage Dark slayer extraordinaire, meets Romuel, one of the most powerful angels of all time. Romuel will shake Callie’s reality once again and force her to become what she was made for, but will Joshua’s pride survive this stunning angel’s existence? Will Mila ever stop believing in a best friend who no one else can even remember? Is it Callie’s highly active imagination or does the Dark population seem to be multiplying exponentially in her world at an alarming rate? Join Silas, Jules, Jixer and the rest of the immortal crew in a story that will wak
e up the world to the war that’s been raging since the beginning of time, a war in which whispers are the deadliest of all weapons.

  About the Author

  Dana Faletti is the author of the Whisper Trilogy. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in a northern suburb of the city with her three wonderful children, a loving husband and a hypoallergenic Siberian Forest cat named Fluffy G.

  Whisper is her first published work.