Page 36 of Lucifer's Mirror

“No.”

It seems chatty Khaos of the night before has vanished. I consider getting up and punching him on the nose, but I don’t have the energy. “Is it where I come from?”

Another shrug. “Who knows?”

I walked into that one. But I’m not ready to give up yet. “Does anyone actually live here? Aside from Brown, I mean.” And hopefully this Thanouq. We saw no one all day. No signs of any towns or even villages. I did see one or two houses in the distance, but no actual signs of life.

“Yes. But farther from the mirror. This land was decimated in the early years of the war.”

“The war with Lucifer?”

He nods. “We’ll probably see some people tomorrow.” He studies me, eyes narrowed, as if he isn’t impressed by what he sees. “If we do, don’t say anything.”

Zayne snorts. He’s been so quiet, I thought he’d fallen asleep. But his eyes are open, and he’s watching me.

I suppose I should try to sleep; tomorrow promises to be as tough as today. But I have one more question. “What about this person we’re supposed to be finding—Thanouq? Am I allowed to talk to him?”

“No.”

With that, he lies back on his blanket, puts his hands behind his head, and closes his eyes. I guess that’s the end of conversation for the night. It wasn’t very interesting anyway. I lie back myself, wrapping the blanket around me and closing my eyes. I suspect the chances of actually sleeping are low. I listen to the noises around me, the wind rustling the trees nearby. There’s no sign of anything else alive except us and the horses grazing nearby. Stella wickers softly as though to let me know we’re not alone. The ground is hard, and I roll onto my side. And that’s the last thing I remember.

Until something wakes me.

I’m not sure what, and I lie huddled in the darkness, the blanket over my head. Something groans somewhere close by. For a second, I freeze, then I force myself to peer out. There are two moons in the sky, and it’s lighter than earlier. The groan comes again, and I glance across to where Zayne is sleeping close by me.

He’s tossing and turning.

“Zayne?”

I get no answer. He’s clearly asleep but in the throes of some nightmare. He’s flung off his blanket.

“Zayne,” I say, louder this time, but to no effect. I glance across to where Khaosti was sleeping, but he’s gone.

I cast off my own blanket and scramble the small distance between us. Zayne is sprawled on his back, but as I get close, his spine arches, rising off the ground, and the groan turns almost feral. It must be some nightmare. I reach out my hand and touch his shoulder.

His eyes flash open, and I let out a gasp, then lurch back, falling on my ass in my haste to get away.

What the freaking fuck?

“Holy shit.”

His eyes are… not Zayne’s. Instead, they’re black with yellow slits, like a snake or a lizard. I swallow the scream that’s threatening to explode out of my throat.

“Zayne?” My voice comes out almost as a whisper, but it’s enough to attract his attention. His head turns slowly in my direction, and he fixes me with a blank stare from those weird, bad-ass eyes. His nostrils flare as though he’s scenting me.

“Zayne!” I shout this time, as though I can break through whatever is happening to him and get my Zayne back. His head jerks. Then hands grip my shoulders, and I’m being hauled away from Zayne, pulled back against Khaosti’s hard chest. For a second, I struggle, but then I go limp in his arms.

I keep my gaze fixed on Zayne. A frown flashes across his face, and then he shakes his head. He closes his eyes, and when he opens them, the nightmare is gone, and Zayne is back. His gray eyes widen as they take in the two of us. “What happened?”

I lick my lips. “Your eyes. They changed.”

He glances from me to Khaosti, behind me. “Is that normal?”

I want to scream that of course it’s not normal. How could it possibly be normal? But I realize his question is for Khaosti, not me. Obviously, whatever is happening to Zayne has redefined his definition of normal. I wait for the answer.

“It’s sooner than I expected. But nothing to worry about.”

Is he crazy? Nothing to goddamn worry about? “I’m worried,” I snap. “Does someone want to tell me what the hell is going on?” I’m still held against Khaosti’s hard body, so close I can feel the heat of his skin through my clothes. His arm is splayed across my stomach, and part of me wants to stay exactly where I am because it feels so good. But now is not the time. In fact, the way I’m feeling right now, it may never be the time. I twist out of his hold, then put some distance between us before turning to face them both, hands on my hips. Like I mean business. Like I want some answers.