The Burning Chaos (Smoke and Mirrors Book 2)

by Melissa Giorgio

  After Vernen disappeared, I made my way over to Leonid. He glanced up, said his goodbyes to the two men he was speaking with, and joined me. “Vernen…?”

  “Left to get some supplies.” I hesitated. Was it my place to say something? But if I’d learned anything, it was that keeping quiet caused more harm than good. “You need to talk to him, Leonid. To let him know that you still think of him as the same Vernen. Even with the magic.”

  Leonid was troubled. “He thinks I’ll treat him differently?”

  “Just talk to him,” I said. “Please.” And talk to me, too.

  Something in Leonid’s expression shifted. “Oh, Lark… If only we had more time. There’s so much that needs to be said, and yet…”

  “I never should have lied to you.” I wanted to reach for him, to hold him, but I didn’t dare. We stood there, amongst the rubble and the soldiers, standing so far apart that we looked like a pair of strangers. “I knew it was wrong as I was doing it, but I was so scared. Parnaby… You saw him today.”

  “I did,” Leonid allowed. “He’s a monster and a bully. But the fact that you thought you had to face all of that alone?” Hurt flashed in his eyes. “Aren’t we a team, Irina? Don’t we have one another’s backs? How could you not come to me? Especially when it involved Vernen. I’d already lost him once. Why didn’t you realize I’d do anything to protect him a second time?”

  “I’m sorry.” My throat hurt, from both the ash in the air and the tears I fought off. “I don’t know what else to say that hasn’t been said already. I made horrible mistakes, Leonid. I’ve ruined everything, and the world is going to burn, and you hate me now—” I broke off with a gasp, my chest constricting painfully. “I’ve lost so much, and I can’t lose you too, Leonid, not after everything that’s happened.”

  He scowled at me. “I don’t hate you.” Taking a step closer to me, his fingers curved around my shoulder blades as he pulled me closer. Leaning his forehead against mine, he said, “I could never hate you. I’m hurt, yes, and confused, but…” He shut his eyes. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll be all right, Lark. I know we will.”

  We embraced. It was a short and awkward hug. Too much hung between us, and like Leonid said, we needed more time than this to work things out. But it was a start, at least.

  And I knew, without a doubt, that we were both too stubborn to let what was between us end without a fight.

  WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME, WE found Elyse sitting in the kitchen, nervously wringing her hands together in her lap. When she saw us, she jumped to her feet. “I’m coming with you!” she said before any of us could speak.

  “Absolutely not,” Leonid said, suddenly looking and sounding like the captain who’d ordered my arrest.

  Her mouth dropped open. “What do you mean, ‘absolutely not’? You can’t make me stay!”

  “What about Parnaby?” I asked, since no one else seemed to want to bring up his name.

  Even though her eyes shone with tears, Elyse lifted her chin up higher and calmly said, “I left him.”

  We gaped at her.

  “He used magic on me,” she continued. “Something he swore he’d never do. How can I look at him and not wonder how many other times he’s used magic to make me do something I didn’t want to do?” Elyse’s brave mask cracked, her jaw trembling as she continued to speak. “And the way he treated Irina and Vernen? I can’t even look at him right now. I can’t stay here in Dusk. Let me go. I’ll be useful, Leonid.”

  Leonid glanced at me. “What do you think?”

  “Let her come,” I said immediately. Just like I wouldn’t have wanted to be left behind, I didn’t think Elyse deserved that fate.

  “Thank you!” She hugged me fiercely before leaving to go pack.

  “I hope I don’t regret this,” Leonid muttered, his eyes on the ceiling.

  “You won’t,” I said before excusing myself as well.

  My heart leapt into my throat as I stepped into my room and saw Jaegger curled up on my bed. He was about the size of a dog, and he rested his head comfortably on his front legs as he stared at me, a bemused look on his face.

  “Jae!” I exclaimed. “You’re so small!” His eyes narrowed dangerously and I held up my hands. “You know I didn’t mean it like that!”

  “Of course you didn’t. You know better than to insult the great Jaegger.” He opened his mouth to yawn, allowing me a view of his very pointy teeth. “How are your injuries, little bird?”

  “Honestly?” I asked. “I’m sure tomorrow I’ll be in pain, but right now, because of everything that’s happened, I barely notice them.” I took a moment to run my eyes over his body. When I’d first summoned him, he’d been missing a piece of his shoulder, but now he was whole again. “How are you?”

  “I’m quite well. It feels good to be in the real world again, with all of my Essence returned.”

  “Where do you go when you’re… not here?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  He cocked his head. “You’ve seen it before. When you summoned me.”

  “Ah.” I remembered the weird, bubble-like place I’d been taken to along with Bantheir. “So you’re looking down on us, all of the time?”

  “I am a god,” Jaegger pointed out matter-of-factly. “That’s what we do.” He stood to stretch his back, and the sight of a dragon standing on my bed was so unbelievable that I had to look away.

  I turned to my dresser, eyeing the knickknacks from patrons of my magic shows with Bantheir. Running my hands over them, I realized with a sinking heart that I wouldn’t be able to take a single one with me. It wasn’t practical.

  Who knew saying goodbye to a bunch of objects would be so difficult?

  Jaegger hopped off the bed and crossed the room, pressing his warm body against my leg. I placed my bandaged hand on top of his head. His skin was rough against my fingers. “Jae,” I said quietly, “are you really the last of your kind?”

  The dragon shut his eyes briefly. “I refuse to believe the magicians killed all of the dragons during the old wars.” His eyes opened, holding mine. “But I haven’t seen one since then. I told myself I could live with that. I had my followers. But then they stopped believing and…”

  “And you must have been very lonely,” I finished for him.

  The dragon snorted. “Do you know what they used to pray for, little bird? Gold, beauty, and love. Over and over again, it was always the same thing. I embraced the silence.” He looked up at me. “But you were different. A welcome change.”

  “No one else ever asked you to eat a magician before?” I joked half-heartedly.

  “No one ever asked me to save a life when their own was in danger.”

  “Oh,” I said softly.

  The dragon pressed harder against my leg. “You are far more interesting than I ever imagined. I’m glad you found my Essence, little bird.”

  I thought of Vernen and everything that had happened after I’d made my wish. “Me too.”

  The dragon fell silent as he watched me pack. I took only the essentials: clothes, what little coins I’d managed to save up, and Leonid’s hairpin. I slid it into my curls, my fingers trembling slightly. Once more I looked at my trinkets, wishing I could take them all. At the last moment I grabbed the horse made of onyx—my favorite—and shoved it into the bottom of my satchel.

  “Ready?” Jaegger asked.

  I glanced at him. “Are you just going to walk out of Dusk with us? Everyone will see you.”

  “Good. Maybe they’ll fall over themselves as they worship me,” he said.

  “They’re going to run away in fear!”

  He glared at me. “As they should!”

  “Please, Jae, let’s leave Dusk without causing any further panic!”

  Flashing me a toothy grin, Jaegger said, “I cannot make any promises, little bird.”

  LEONID KNOCKED ON MY DOOR, blanching when he saw Jaegger standing next to me. “Are you ready, Lark?”

  Jaegger’s tail lashed back and forth in irritatio
n. “At least acknowledge me, soldier.”

  “I was hoping I was just seeing things,” Leonid muttered. When Jaegger growled, Leonid raised an eyebrow. “You pinned me down with your paw, and if Lark hadn’t said anything, I’d probably still be under it! Excuse me if I’m a little wary around you.”

  The dragon grinned proudly. “Good. You should be wary around me.”

  “I need to pack some alcohol,” Leonid said, “if I want to survive this trip. The strongest I own.”

  Sensing an argument, I quickly interjected. “I’m ready. Are the others here?”

  “We’ve somehow managed to assemble an entire team of misfits,” Leonid said. “Do you know Quinn is here? And that she’s insisting she’s coming along with us?”

  I avoided his razor-sharp gaze. “Really? That’s… insane…”

  “You told her she could come, didn’t you?”

  “Maybe?”

  He threw his hands up in the air. “I knew it! I told her you were probably just being nice, but she won’t listen to me. She insists she’s coming along! She’s as bad as Elyse!”

  “Already you’re showing signs that you’re not a very effective leader,” Jaegger pointed out, which earned him a glare.

  “Let them come,” I said. Leaving would be difficult, but having my friends with me would ease some of the pain. Besides, we were going to need all the help we could get.

  A dragon, a couple of soldiers, two magician’s assistants, and a child. Would this ragtag team be enough to best Aeonia and reclaim the stone?

  I squared my shoulders. It had to be.

  VERNEN, ADEN, ELYSE, WEST AND Quinn were waiting for us in the foyer. “D-Dragon,” Aden sputtered, his eyes going wide. Next to him West’s mouth had dropped open, and he made a small squeak of surprise.

  “Thank you, Aden, for showing us once more how intelligent you are,” Leonid muttered as he headed for the sitting room. I heard the sounds of bottles moving around and realized Leonid really was bringing along alcohol.

  “Jaegger is coming with us.” I glanced at the dragon. “And he’s promised not to eat any of you.”

  “I made no such promise—”

  “Jae!” I said, watching as Aden turned green. “Please.”

  The dragon chuckled, and suddenly I was grateful Leonid decided to pack some alcohol. “Is everyone ready?” I asked. The others held up their satchels and nodded. I glanced at Quinn. “Are you sure you want to come with us?” I wanted her to know she had a choice. That she could leave right now, and no one would judge her for it. This journey wasn’t going to be easy, and I couldn’t shield her from the dangers we were certain to face.

  As if reading my mind, Quinn smiled and said, “Don’t worry about me, Irina. Aden will protect me!”

  Leonid snorted as he came back into the room, his satchel now clinking suspiciously. “I wouldn’t count on that. You’re much more likely to be the one protecting him.”

  “Don’t be mean to Aden, stupid Fancy Pants!” Quinn kicked him in the shin, nearly causing him to drop his satchel. Then she raced out of the house, leaving Leonid bent over, massaging his leg and cursing up a storm.

  Jaegger laughed again. “Oh, I am going to enjoy this trip.”

  Before we could leave, West dragged me into the kitchen, where he treated both of my hands. “We need to keep an eye on these, in case of infection,” he said as he smeared a cooling ointment over my burns. After wrapping both hands in fresh bandages, he deemed me ready for the trip.

  We filed out of the house. I locked it behind me before stuffing the key in my pocket. I knew I was being sentimental, but I couldn’t help myself. Leonid placed a hand on my shoulder before descending the stairs. Alone, I took a moment to look up at the slanting house that had been the source of so many good and bad memories.

  “Goodbye,” I whispered softly.

  At the bottom of the stairs, Jaegger, who was now the size of a tiny kitten, jumped up on my shoulder. I pulled up my hood and hoped between that and my hair, I’d be able to hide him from any prying eyes.

  The sky was dark and scattered with thousands of stars. It’d taken us too long to gather our supplies and say our goodbyes, and while it would make more sense to leave tomorrow, as soon as the sun rose, we couldn’t afford to delay. We needed to catch Aeonia before the stone started speaking to her.

  If it hasn’t already, I thought grimly.

  At the corner, Leonid stopped a boy and paid him handsomely to deliver a letter he’d written for his siblings. I wondered what was in it, but I didn’t dare ask. That was between Leonid and his brother and sister. His mouth twisted as he watched the boy dart away, but then he blinked, as if rousing himself, and set off for the gates.

  I’d never stepped outside of Dusk, not once. The thought of leaving had never crossed my mind. Dusk had everything I’d ever need, so why leave? There were other cities, both bigger and smaller, but Dusk was my home.

  Was, I repeated. I watched Leonid walking in front of me, sticking close to Vernen’s side. Then I glanced at Elyse, who was on my right, and West, who was on my left. Behind us Quinn walked with Aden, her dark eyes bright with curiosity.

  And on my shoulders Jaegger rested, his body warm and comforting against my skin. I reached up and he nuzzled my hand once before settling down and closing his eyes.

  The gates loomed ahead of us, but I didn’t look at them. Instead, I spent my final moments in Dusk memorizing the city. The way the buildings reached toward the sky. The people who bustled past us, who hadn’t heard what had happened in Rise yet. The three sections that were different, yet not that different at all. My heart squeezed as I thought of the slums. I’d had so many plans for the people, and now I was abandoning them, as so many others had done.

  I couldn’t make them any promises. I couldn’t stand there at the edge of the gates and whisper that I’d be back for them. My future stretched out in front of me, and I had no idea what was in store.

  I had my friends. They were my family.

  They were my home now.

  Leonid held out his hand to me and we stepped through the gates.

  Together, we stepped into the unknown.

  This book would not have been possible without the following people in my life:

  My parents, for their continual support and love. Thanks for reading printouts and finding typos that I never seem to notice.

  Amy, for always encouraging me, especially when I want to give up. For being the first person to read whatever I write; I hope you realize that your opinion is the one that matters the most to me. Thanks for helping me get the ending to where it needed to be. I hope I added enough explosions for you!

  Margaret, for handing me a pile of my books to sign the moment I stepped off the plane in Texas (Okay, no, not the moment I stepped off. We both know the moment I stepped off the plane, I was being asked for directions!). Thanks for letting me name your cat.

  Molly, for texts about The Raven Boys and books in general, those damn cats that won’t visit me (Spud, why do you hate me?!), and for convincing me to attend the Boston Teen Author Fest, which was basically the BEST. WEEKEND. EVER. Is it September yet? Miss your fancy face.

  Sam, for always being super supportive and for spoiling me with books and other assorted goodies. Thank you for loving my characters nearly as much as I do. One of these days I’m going to get my butt to Canada and give you the biggest hug ever. I heart you!!

  Kim, for always asking me when the next book is coming out. Answer: September! Not too far away!

  Merritt, for the perfect silhouette of Jae and the additions to the map of Dusk. I am always in awe of your amazing artwork!

  Regina, for another gorgeous cover that captures every random thing (Fire! Snow!) I wanted perfectly.

  Aurelia, for the perfect gifs that always make me laugh. Your enthusiasm for my books is astounding. Thank you so much for your support!

  Jachira, for loving Leonid, even if he’s a bit of a grump. I hope he continues to amuse
you in this book!

  Chalyss, for your insightful emails about my books! I’m so happy I can count you as one of my readers!

  Steph, for the fun times in New York City talking about books, bands, and how old we are (seriously, how did that happen?). Come back soon; we can get more ice cream!

  Erin, for your excitement over my books. I’m so glad you’re both a friend and a reader!

  My family and friends, for your love and support, no matter what.

  And to anyone who picked up The Fading Dusk and continued Irina’s adventure with The Burning Chaos, THANK YOU! See you in book three!

  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.