Page 81 of Lucifer's Mirror

He’s right. I haven’t thought about Josh with everything that’s been happening. I’m a selfish bitch. “With any luck, someone will report us missing, and the police will think Lissa and Pete have murdered us or sold us into slavery, and they’ll be shut down.”

“You think somewhere else will be better? At least Lissa is harmless, and Pete is mostly away. Anyway, once I have this thing sorted, I need to go check on the little guy.”

“I hoped you would stay, but you’re right. One of us needs to go.”

“And it’s not going to be you, is it, princess?”

I jump to my feet and then wrap my arms around myself as I look down at him. “I can’t, Zayne. I have to see this through. Besides, if I go back, there’s a good chance these shadowguard things will follow me and finish me off, along with anyone else around me. I need to find out who I am and why I’m here. Then maybe I can stop them.”

“I could protect you.”

I force a smile. “Yeah, of course you could. I’m sure you’ll make a very scary chicken.”

“Piss off.”

He pushes himself to his feet and rests his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to make this difficult for you. I’ve always known you’re not for the likes of me, that you’d leave us behind.” He looks down at me as if considering what to say next, then gives a shrug. “Besides, I’ve seen the way you look at Khaosti.” I want to argue that I don’t look at him. Not often, anyway. But Zayne’s already talking again. “And the way he looks at you when he thinks you’re not watching.”

“He looks at me?”

He just shakes his head and mutters, “Clueless.” Releasing his hold, he steps back. “But Amber, be careful. Don’t trust him.”

“Why? Has he said anything? What do you know?”

“I don’tknowanything. It’s just a feeling. He’s conflicted about something. And when he decides what he’s going to do, whose side he’s on… well, there’s a good chance it won’t be yours.”

Chapter 38

Stalker Alert

Thatevening,Icreepthrough the dark canopy of trees. A little moonlight filters through the branches, lighting the path, but barely enough to see, so I go slowly. After ten minutes, I reach the second fork, take it, and my pace slows even more. I don’t want them to hear me coming.

I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing. Zayne was pretty clear that he doesn’t want me here. But I’m his sister, and it’s a well-known fact—almost a rule—that sisters never do what their brothers tell them to do.

And Zayne told me himself not to trust Khaosti, so I’m doing my sisterly duty and making sure Zayne is safe.

Okay, so I’m being totally nosy as well. But could anyone blame me? Nope.

They left straight after dinner. The three of them: Zayne, Khaosti, and Thanouq. I felt a little left out, to be honest. Not one of them even looked at me. It was like I was invisible. I’m used to being ignored by Khaosti, but the rest of them? It hurt.

“Why don’t you go?” Hecate had asked, a small smile on her face as though she knew exactly what I was thinking.

I shrug. “Go where?”

“After them,” she said. “I can see you want to.”

“Zayne doesn’t want me there. He’s scared he’ll hurt me.”

“He won’t hurt you,” she replied.

“Anyway, I don’t know where they’ve gone.”

She smiled. “I do. Take the path that leads to the woods. Then the second fork on the left. You’ll find them.”

So here I am, creeping around in the dark like a pathetic stalker.

Finally, I hear the low murmur of voices. I creep closer, moving from tree to tree. There’s an opening up ahead, and I inch in until I’m hiding behind a broad tree trunk that looks directly into the clearing.

The towering trees that encircle the space are unlike any I’ve seen before. Their bark shimmers with a silvery luminescence, casting a soft, ghostly glow that bathes the clearing in an otherworldly radiance. These trees seem to reach up toward the sky, their branches forming intricate, twisting patterns that create an entrancing play of shadows on the forest floor. In the center of the clearing, a crystalline pool reflects the starry night sky above, its surface smooth as glass. The place reminds me of an amphitheater. At the far end, three men stand.