The Burning Chaos Read online

  “I’m happy for you two,” he said. “And I mean it. That’s not a joke. For some reason people can’t tell when I’m joking and when I’m serious, so that’s why I’m telling you I’m serious.”

  “Thanks for clarifying that for me.” We settled into a comfortable silence while he worked. I helped him with her eyes, and then we moved on to her hair, which he got right on the first try. Watching her face come to life on the paper was amazing. It was almost like magic—the good kind, anyway. The kind I no longer believed existed.

  West drew a couple of more lines and tilted the sketchpad toward me. “So, what do you think? Is this your lady?”

  “Yes. That’s her.” I stared into her eyes, wondering who she was, and why I was so drawn to her.

  What secrets are you hiding from me?

  THREE DAYS LATER WE WOKE to find the streets of Dusk covered in snow. I couldn’t remember the last time it had snowed this much, and Leonid and I spent the day in front of the window, wrapped up in blankets, as we watched the thick flakes pile up outside our door.

  “We might be trapped in here forever,” Leonid said, eyeing me hungrily.

  I made a face. “Wonderful. It’s like I’m back in prison, with you as my warden.”

  “Very nice,” he growled before pulling me into his arms and kissing me fiercely.

  It took another day for the snow to stop, the drifts so high in some spots that I wondered if we were truly trapped. Leonid managed to get the front door open, using the doorframe to support him as he climbed up and over a drift to pull himself outside.

  I passed him our one shovel, grateful Elyse had made us purchase it in preparation for the garden she planned on growing in the spring. Then I held out a hand, and Leonid pulled me up and outside with him. The sudden flash of the sun reflecting off of the snow blinded me, and I cupped my eyes with my hands as I looked around.

  The street was deserted, and everywhere I looked was covered in white. I exhaled softly, my breath a cloud of wispy smoke. It was strange seeing Dusk like this. “It’s like we’re the only two people in the whole city,” I said in a whisper, not wanting to break the silence.

  Leonid stood next to me, his shoulder touching mine. “It’s beautiful.”

  “And cold,” I said when a breeze picked up, causing snow to fly in our faces.

  We got to work, taking turns with the shovel as we dug ourselves out. It was hard work, and my fingers were aching from the cold even with gloves on. When the doorway and front steps were clear, Leonid ushered me back inside.

  “Aren’t you coming?” I asked when he remained in the doorway.

  “If I go back in, I’ll never leave.” His nose and cheeks were red, and he pulled up the hood of his coat before jamming his hands into his pockets. “I’m going to head to Rise now. I should see if Parnaby needs anything. Also…” He glanced away.

  “You want to see your family,” I filled in for him.

  “Yes.” Now Leonid looked at me. “I want you to stay here, with Vernen. There’s no need for all of us to make the trip.”

  I opened my mouth to protest, but that familiar stubborn glint was in his dark eyes, telling me not to bother. And did I really want to walk all that way to Rise, just to face Parnaby’s ungratefulness? “Be careful.” Leaning forward, I pressed my cold lips against his. “Please, Leonid.”

  “I’ll be fine.” I watched him go, the only person brave—or crazy—enough to walk the snow-covered streets of Dusk, before shutting the door behind me with a sigh. I found Vernen in the kitchen, who looked up when I walked in, dripping water in my wake.

  “Leon left?” he asked.

  “Yes. He’s hiking to Rise. It’ll probably take him the rest of the day to get there, so don’t expect him home tonight.” As I said that, I felt a hollow ache deep in my stomach.

  Vernen stood. “Let’s go see if the stores are open.”

  Yes. Walking to the stores would be a good distraction. After Vernen bundled up in his heaviest coat and scarf, we left the house. More people had emerged from their homes, cleaning the snow from their doors as children ran through the streets laughing. The drifts were high in spots, slowing our progress. Leonid was crazy to attempt to walk through this, I thought as I sank with each step. It was going to take him two days to reach Rise!

  The nearest store was open, but the owner, a kindly middle-aged woman, sadly told us she was sold out of everything. Vernen and I exchanged dismayed looks before trying the next store. And the next one. It was only at the fourth store that we lucked out, finding a couple of stale loaves and some cheese. “Just like the old days,” I said as I paid for my purchases.

  Before heading back, we stopped at a small bakery and bought cups of steaming hot coffee and two freshly baked biscuits. My stomach growled loudly as I took my first bite, nearly swooning at the buttery taste. On a whim, I bought the rest of them, wishing we had stopped here first instead of the shop with the stale bread.

  As we left the bakery, a snowball whizzed over my head, causing me to start and nearly drop my bag of groceries. Children ran by, laughing loudly. One boy in particular caught my eye, and I paused, wondering why he seemed familiar. He turned, his dark eyes meeting mine for the briefest of moments, and I sucked in a breath.

  The thief.

  The boy’s eyes widened and he bolted. “Wait!” I shouted after him, about to give chase when my boot slipped and I went flying. Vernen caught me before I fell, but my bag of groceries flew out of my hands and toppled over into the snow. Cursing, I knelt and stuffed everything back into the bag. When I looked up, the boy was gone.

  “Who was that?” Vernen asked, helping me.

  “Someone Leonid is very interested in meeting,” I said darkly. The moment he came back from Rise, I would tell him about my chance encounter with the boy. Leonid hadn’t mentioned the boy since the morning he’d returned home, empty-handed, but I knew it still bothered him. If the boy frequented these parts, we had a good chance of finding him.

  And now that I had gotten a good look at his face, I knew exactly who I needed to speak with.

  THE SNOW WAS DETERMINED TO ruin my plans, however. Worried that I would forget key details before I saw West again, I recorded everything I remembered about the boy in one of Leonid’s spare notebooks. When Leonid finally returned home, two days later, I raced down from the second floor and pounced on him the moment he stepped foot in the foyer.

  “I found your thief!”

  “What?” Leonid pushed back his hood, his face flushed with the cold. His boots and pants were soaking wet, and I felt a pang of guilt for not even giving him a chance to warm up first.

  “Go get changed and then I’ll tell you.”

  “Tell me now.”

  “You’re soaked to the bone and ice-cold!” I protested, pressing my fingers against his cheeks. “This can wait.”

  “Lark, I am two seconds away from taking off my clothes and collapsing in bed. Tell me what you saw. Now.”

  My face heated up at the thought of Leonid naked. Noticing that, he smirked, and I barely resisted the urge to shove him. How did he expect me to tell him anything when he was distracting me with scandalous images? “You’re horrible.”

  He took a step closer. “You’re welcome to join me.”

  “I’m going to hit you,” I said matter-of-factly.

  A single eyebrow rose over his broad forehead. “Now, or when I’m naked?”

  “Leonid!”

  Chuckling, he took off his coat and hung it over the banister before settling down on the lowest step. Looking up at me expectantly, he said, “Tell me, then.” I filled him in on our trek through the streets, the near miss with the snowball, and how one of the boys had struck me as familiar. Leonid’s hands tightened into fists. “You’re certain it was him?”

  “Yes. Leonid, can’t we get West to draw the boy’s face, and pass around the sketches?”

  He stood, reaching for his coat. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do. I just saw West
this morning, I’ll go back out and fetch him—”

  “Let me go.” Vernen’s voice startled me; I hadn’t even heard him enter the foyer.

  Leonid looked torn, and I understood why. Ever since the incident, Vernen hadn’t donned his soldier uniform. I wasn’t sure if that was Vernen’s decision, or Leonid’s. “Vern, I don’t know.”

  “Please, Leon. Let me go. He’s in Way?” Vernen’s blue eyes were bright and pleading. He really wants to do this, I thought, stunned.

  Leonid and I exchanged a glance, and he nodded, swallowing hard. He rattled off West’s location before telling Vernen, “Straight there and back, you hear?”

  Vernen was already grabbing his coat from where it hung by the door. After winding his long scarf around his neck, he gave us a wave and left.

  Leonid sighed heavily, slumping against the stairs. “I hope that wasn’t a mistake.”

  “You can’t keep him locked up in here forever.” I sat down next to him, placing a hand on his thigh.

  “I’m not locking him up; I’m trying to keep him safe.” Leonid paused. “Oh. That’s the same thing, isn’t it?” His hand covered mine as he entwined our fingers, his copper-colored skin a beautiful contrast to my paleness. “I just can’t lose him again, Lark.”

  This would have been a perfect opportunity to tell him about Parnaby’s threats, and how the possibility of losing Vernen was all too real. But I kept my mouth shut. I told myself it was because Leonid wouldn’t believe me. Parnaby’s manipulation magic was too strong, and I’d never be able to break through.

  But I knew the truth: I was a coward.

  AFTER CHANGING OUT OF HIS sodden clothing, Leonid joined me in the kitchen for a meager meal of bread and cheese. Even though his movements were slowed down by exhaustion, I knew he wouldn’t rest until Vernen had returned. As we ate, he told me about visiting both his family and Parnaby.

  “My family is fine. Edward and Harlin were very excited about the snow, and they convinced me to build a snow army in the backyard. I ended up spending the night there, much to my stepmother’s disgust. But we avoided one another, which was relatively easy considering the size of that house, and I left as soon as it was light out.” Leonid paused to take a bite of his sandwich. “The walk to Parnaby’s wasn’t too bad.”

  “Did you use the secret passage?” I asked, referring to the tunnels hidden beneath Rise.

  “There wasn’t any point. I was the only fool outside; I walked right up to his front door and let myself in.” He scowled. “Except, I wasn’t the only fool who was out traveling. Our dear friend Raynard was already inside, arguing with Parnaby.”

  I shuddered, remembering the times I had spent in Councilor Raynard’s company. He was a cruel, loud man who had believed I was just as guilty as Bantheir. If Leonid hadn’t stepped in, Raynard would have tried to beat the truth out of me. “What did he want?”

  “I’m not sure. I caught the end of their discussion, and Parnaby wouldn’t tell me the specifics, no matter how much I probed,” Leonid said. “If I had to guess, I’d say Raynard wasn’t happy Parnaby raised the taxes for the rich last month. If it was up to Raynard, the people of Rise wouldn’t pay a single cent in taxes.”

  I gripped the edge of the table. “But that’s ridiculous! They’re the ones who can afford to pay extra!”

  “We both know that, but unfortunately people like Raynard or my parents don’t feel the same way,” Leonid said darkly.

  “But we’re trying to help the people of the slums.” Not for the first time I wondered how they were surviving the snow. How many people who spent their nights sleeping in the streets had managed to find shelter from the storm? And what about after the snow had finished? Did they have blankets or food?

  “I know, Lark.” Leonid covered my hand with his, no doubt seeing the torment written on my face. “Unfortunately, these things take time. We’re off to a good start, though. Things will get better for them, you’ll see. Parnaby believes in this as passionately as we do. He won’t back down to blowhards like Raynard.”

  We finished eating and cleaned up before retiring to the sitting room to wait for Vernen and West. Almost as soon as he sat down, Leonid fell asleep, and I covered him with a blanket, smiling at the peaceful look on his face. A lock of his black hair had fallen across his forehead and I leaned over to brush it back. When he didn’t even stir at my touch, I knew he would be out for hours.

  About a half hour after that, Vernen and West arrived. I shushed them the moment they entered the foyer, leading them upstairs so as not to disturb Leonid. We settled in Vernen’s room, the two men removing their coats and scarves before West pulled out his sketchpad and had me describe the boy to him. It went faster this time, West nailing almost all of the details perfectly on his first try. Vernen nodded his approval when West tilted the sketchpad in his direction.

  “That’s the boy,” Vernen said.

  “I’ll get to work making copies of these.” West tore out the illustration and started sketching again on a fresh page. “We’ll find the captain’s thief.” He shot a dark look out Vernen’s window. “Although it would be easier if the weather started behaving itself.”

  I couldn’t help but agree. There had been no sign of my mystery woman, and who knew when we’d see either her or the boy again? With the snow mostly everyone was staying indoors, only leaving the safety and warmth of their homes when it was absolutely necessary. But we had to try. It was like what Leonid had said in reference to our work on improving the slums: It would take time.

  I only hoped we weren’t wasting our time on a fool’s errand.

  THE TEMPERATURES BEGAN RISING, AND by the end of the week the snow was a mere memory. I hoped that would be the last we saw of it this season, but then a fierce wind came out of nowhere, causing the temperatures to plunge again. The sky was gray, and the threat of more snow loomed over us constantly. It was enough to drive one mad, but we made the best of it. When Parnaby sent for us, I nearly jumped with excitement.

  Until we reached Rise and he led us straight to a grisly scene.

  Parnaby and Elyse met us outside a grand home, their hoods drawn up as they wore identical grim expressions. Aden was standing next to them, looking nervous, but when I shot him a quizzical look, he shrugged his shoulders. He was as clueless as we were. No words were spoken as we—me, Leonid, Vernen, and Aden—were ushered into the dimly lit house. We walked down a corridor, our footsteps muffled by the thick carpet, and I wondered where the occupants of the home were. Even if the owners were out, shouldn’t there be servants? A sense of foreboding washed over me, and I unconsciously took a step closer to the others.

  We stopped in front of a closed door. “Brace yourselves,” Parnaby said before pushing it open.

  Nothing could have prepared me for the scene in front of us. I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. To my right, Leonid swore as Elyse turned her head away, her eyes swimming with tears.

  The door opened up into a massive dining room. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, the light from the windows hitting the crystals and shining rainbow prisms against the wall. The table was set with a plate and utensils in front of each chair. The smell of spoiled food hung heavily in the air, mixed with something else that made my stomach turn uneasily.

  In each of the chairs, a person was slumped over, dead.

  They were dressed in fine silks and suits, and jewelry sparkled from the wrists and necks of all the ladies. I counted quickly—fourteen people in all, ranging in age from young adults to an older gentleman with graying hair. Some of them clutched at their throats, while others had their hands on their stomachs. Each face that I could see from where I stood in the hallway, my feet rooted to the floor in fear, was twisted in agony.

  A sob climbed up my throat, threatening to break free, and I turned away quickly. Behind me, Aden and Vernen stared at the scene, their skin deathly white and sweaty. A single thought pierced through the fog that had gathered in my head: Vernen shouldn’t be here.<
br />
  I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the house. The cold air was a shock to my system, and I gulped it down greedily, waiting for it to clear my head of the ghastly horrors I’d just witnessed.

  Unfortunately, that was something I would never forget.

  Vernen was shaking. Placing my hands on the sides of his face, I forced him to look at me. “Vernen. It’s all right. You’re all right.”

  “Those people…” He squeezed his eyes shut. “They’re dead. Just like I—”

  “Irina!” West appeared by my side. “What’s wrong? I got the president’s message to meet him here.” He put a hand on Vernen’s shoulder. “What’s the matter, Vern? You feeling faint?”

  Now I was the one shaking. Vernen had been about to mention what had happened to him. All this time, and he had never once spoken about it. The one time Parnaby had mentioned it, Vernen had appeared confused. He remembers? Had the sight of all those victims triggered his memory? Oh, Vernen. No wonder Leonid had kept him at home for the past two months.

  “Here, sit down.” West guided Vernen to an ornate metal bench. It sat under a cherry tree; in the spring, the view must be breathtaking. But now there would be no one to enjoy such a view. “Breathe through your mouth,” West instructed, digging through his satchel. He unearthed a flask, which he unscrewed and handed to Vernen. At my disapproving stare, he said, “It’s water, Irina. My other flask has my whiskey.”

  “I think I’d rather have that,” Vernen said with a glimmer of a smile.

  He sounded so much like his old self that my heart jumped in my chest. “Vernen.” I rushed to his side, kneeling before him.

  “I’m all right, Irina. I just think it’s better if I wait out here.” His eyes searched my face imploringly. “Tell Leon I’m sorry?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’ll stay with him,” West said.

  “Thank you.” I looked toward the house. I didn’t want to go back in there, not for all the money in the world, but I had to. Parnaby had asked for us all to meet him here for a reason. This one incident was worse than all of Bantheir’s murders, and if word of this leaked, things would quickly grow dire in Dusk. “But can I maybe have a sip of that whiskey you mentioned before I go back in?”