Whisper the Dead (The Lovegrove Legacy) (40 page)

“London is doomed,” one of the Keepers whispered.

The last portal opened on the sidewalk in front of them. The light from the opening portal was too bright to look at directly. Gretchen shaded her eyes, waiting for the jagged forks of light to dim. It didn’t disgorge one of the Sisters. Instead, the silhouette of an antlered man stepped through the violet light.

“Ewan!” Theodora’s voice was fragile. Her bird-familiar dropped red feathers all around her.

Ewan froze, clearly both desperate and terrified to believe he’d found her at last. He turned his head. Theodora struggled to get to her feet, not yet recovered from Sophie’s magical attack.

“Emma’s in the Underworld,” Gretchen broke in. She might have felt badly for them if there was any space left inside her body not currently devoted to fear for her cousins and brother. “You have to get her out.”

Ewan paused. The air around him seemed to shiver, so cold was his expression. Blue lighting arced between his antlers. The portal wavered, starting to seal itself. “I’ll be back for you, princess,” he said to Theodora, bowing his head to her before stepping back into the portal. The fissure closed behind him.

“No!” Theodora yelled, crawling brokenly toward him. “Take me with you!”

Gretchen turned away, mind already racing with plans and plots.

Tobias’s hand was warm on her shoulder. “We’ll get her out,” he promised.

Gretchen lifted her chin. “We’ll get them
all
out,” she corrected.

The witchcraft in this book is purely literary. It is not intended to represent modern or ancient belief systems.

The Drake Chronicles
Hearts at Stake
Blood Feud
Out for Blood
Ruling Passion
(Bind-up of
Hearts at Stake
,
Blood Feud
, and
Out for Blood
)
Bleeding Hearts
Blood Moon
Blood Prophecy

Haunting Violet

Stolen Away

The Lovegrove Legacy
A Breath of Frost

Copyright © 2014 by Alexandra Harvey

All rights reserved.
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

First published in the United States of America in October 2014
by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Electronic edition published in October 2014
www.bloomsbury.com

Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 1385 Broadway, New York, New York 10018

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Harvey, Alyxandra.
Whisper the dead / by Alyxandra Harvey
pages cm—(The Lovegrove legacy; [2])
Summary: In 1814 London, Gretchen must put aside annoyance at the constant buzzing caused by being a Whisperer, concern about her twin brother, her growing feelings for a member of the Order of the Iron Nail, and the boredom of being a debutante when a new menace threatens Mayfair.
[1. Witches—Fiction.   2. Magic—Fiction.   3. Love—Fiction.   4. Brothers and sisters—Fiction. 5. Twins—Fiction.   6. Cousins—Fiction.   7. London (England)—History—19th century—Fiction.   8. Great Britain—History—George III, 1760—1820—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.H267448Whi 2014 [Fic]—dc23 2014005626

ISBN: 978-0-80273-751-9 (e-book)

Visit
www.bloomsbury.com
to find out more about our authors and their books
You will find extracts, author interviews, author events and you
can sign up for newsletters
to be the first to hear about our latest releases and special offers.

* D P G R O U P . O R G *