A Clockwork Heart by Liesel Schwarz Read Free Book Online Page A

I am that we are both standing here,” Elle said. The big diamond draped round the neck of the lady in question was most definitely polished glass. The real one would be far too valuable to wear out on public like this. But she did not bother explaining that to Miss Mandeville, who was at that moment whispering furiously at her sister.
    She smiled up at her husband. Marsh was every bit the handsome viscount in his formal top hat and tails and Elle had caught more than one lady studying him surreptitiously from behind a strategically placed opera program or fan.
    â€œEverything all right?” he said.
    â€œEverything is more than all right,” she said with a rush of pride.
    â€œHave I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” he murmured. “I keep thinking about dragging you into one of these dark little recesses so I can have you all to myself,” he said. “We have some unfinished business that started with those gloves of yours.”
    Elle felt herself blush. “Behave, or else I might take you up on the offer.”
    He made a strange growly noise, which told her she had scored a point.
    At that moment, she caught her father’s eye. He stared at her with all hope of safe rescue.
    â€œWe had better save my father,” she said.
    â€œAt least the performance will force them into silence for a little while. Until intermission that is.” Marsh placed his hand on the small of her back. “Let’s escape while we can. I believe our seats are this way.”
    And so it was, with no small measure of relief, that Elle sat back in her seat as the lights dimmed to signal the start of the performance.
    â€œThank goodness for that,” the professor muttered a little too loudly in the moment of silence before the orchestra started up.
    Elle heard Marsh snort and shudder with laughter, which he did his best to disguise as a cough.
    Then the music filled the theatre. Elle pulled her new brass opera glasses from her reticule and slowly adjusted the gears in order to bring the famous tenor who had just stepped on to the stage into focus. She became so enraptured by the sad story of Mimi and Rudolpho that she barely noticed when Marsh took her hand in his.
    Suddenly, the world shifted. Elle gasped as she felt the barrier between Shadow and Light lurch violently.
    â€œWhat is it?” Marsh asked, suddenly concerned.
    â€œIt’s nothing,” Elle whispered back to reassure him.
    She sat forward in her seat and adjusted her glasses again. They were the latest in spectral optics, guaranteed to allow the viewer to see in extremely fine detail. She felt the shift again. This time, the lurch of energy was so strong it had made her feel quite out of breath. It was almost as if someone was manipulating the divide between Shadow and Light right here, in the concert hall. And they were not being particularly careful or discreet about it either. She scanned the rows of seats below them. She could see nothing out of the ordinary. The audience sat, entranced by the beautiful music that filled the air and quite oblivious to the workings of the Shadow Realm.
    She felt the movement again and this time she followed it, as one would do with sound. Her gaze fell on a woman who sat in one of the side seats. She was wrapped in a dark cloak. All Elle could see was the side of her fine white cheek. But the woman must have sensed her presence, because she suddenly turned and looked straight at Elle.
    In that moment, Elle felt a gush of energy rip straight though her. She gasped with shock and almost dropped her glasses. The woman was definitely channeling power, in a public place, without even trying to hide it.
    The thought filled Elle with such outrage that she half rose from her seat.
    An expression of surprise briefly crossed the woman’s face and in that instant, Elle felt the flow of power cease. Then the woman rose and slipped out of her seat. She slipped silently down the aisle and