The Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani

Entering her mother’s room, Emma found her sitting very still on the bed with a crumpled letter in her hand.

'Mom!' she called again, racing up the stairs to the bedrooms. 'Mom!' she called, looking in the kitchen, then in the living room. She raced into the hallway and dropped her book bag on the floor. By the time she reached the door she was almost running. Maybe she would tell her mom today, after she shared the news about Monsieur Dupriez.Īs Emma approached her home, she quickened her step. She hadn’t told her mom about her new abilities yet only Annika knew. Was she some kind of a psychic? If so, why now? People didn’t develop powers like these overnight. And yesterday, on her way home from school, she accurately guessed the meal her mom had left on the table for her. On various occasions she guessed people’s thoughts before they spoke. While scowling at obnoxious Billie Lynam during school recess, for instance, she wished he would fall flat on his face… and half a minute later, her wish was granted. The strange incidents she had experienced for the past two weeks added to her stress.Īt first she had thought they were a string of coincidences, but not anymore. Now, everything had turned dark and ominous. Just last evening, Emma had sauntered along this street with her best friend Annika, unconcerned and looking forward to Halloween. Witches, broomsticks, and black cats hunkered down in windows and shops. Pumpkins and Jack-o-lanterns sat on doorsteps. It was the last week of October, and the shops and homes were lightly adorned with Halloween decorations. The news story seemed so hard to believe, she stopped at the next street corner to read it one more time. Not only because three well-known violinists had gone missing in the last several months, but because the latest one was her teacher, Monsieur Dupriez. She dug into her jacket pocket for coins and bought a copy. Heavy dark clouds threatened a downpour.Īs she passed a newspaper stand, the headlines on The Brussels Gazette caught her attention:Įmma stopped. She glanced up at the October sky and wrapped her wool scarf tighter around her neck. Sixteen-year old Emma Braun got off the school bus and strode down Stockel Square toward her home. When a psychopathic violinist starts kidnapping other violinists around the world,ġ6-year old Emma must hunt her down before her own beloved violin teacher is killed.

The Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani