Page 24

“Go,” I say.

Zayne smirks and then steps into the mirror frame without another word. I hold my breath—I’m still new at this and I’m not 100% positive it will work.

But he disappears. So he’s gone somewhere.

Josh steps closer. “Where did he go?”

“You’ll find out. Just step through the mirror, Josh. Zayne will be waiting, and I’ll be right behind you.”

He looks at me, searching my face, then gives a small nod, and squares his shoulders. He steps bravely forward. And disappears.

I take one look around, heft my backpack, and step into the mirror.

And Earth disappears. It’s almost like being sucked in and spat out on the opposite side. I’m ready for it, and this time I manage to stay on my feet.

I’m in a room, open to the dark night sky. Above my head, so many stars shine down on us. They illuminate the smooth silver walls which are intersected at regular intervals by open doorways. And there are mirrors all around me, and through thedoorways I can see more still. I know from my last time here that the rooms go on and on.

Many of the mirrors are no longer active. While they are all approximately the same size—big enough to step through—and they all have darkish frames, the actual mirrors are different. Some glow, like the one we just came through. But others are dull, almost opaque and many are darkened, the glass dimmed to a black, non-reflective surface, as dense as obsidian.

I’m guessing that there’s nothing through these mirrors, nothing on the other side. Or nothing I ever want to encounter anyway.

Josh and Zayne are waiting just a few feet away. But otherwise, I don’t sense anyone else. No big scary guards coming to catch us. It’s half an hour until I’m due to meet Sheela.

Josh has a big grin on his face. “Is it magic?” he asks.

“Yes, it is.”

“Will you teach me?”

“One day, when we have more time.” Simple spells can be taught to the non-magical. Opening spells, spells to control the mirrors, language…

I stop and hold out my hand. “Come here, Josh.”

He hurries forward and takes my hand. I search in my meager stock of spells and whisper a few words. A tingle runs through my arms and into Josh.

His eyes widen. “What was that?”

“A language spell, so you can talk to people where you’re going. Zayne already has one. Now come, we need to find a mirror.”

I walk through the room, trailing my hands across the mirrors as I pass, and they whisper to me. I understand their language now. I know which mirror I need, and I head to the next room, trying to retrace my steps from my previous trip here. That visit is something that, up until now, I’ve tried to erase from mymemory, so I have to drag it from deep in my mind. I should have taken more care to fix it in my head. They all look so much alike. Finally, I pass an empty mirror frame, and I realize it’s the mirror I escaped through when I was last here. Khaos smashed it behind me—which allowed me to get away. The mirror I want should be close by. I head through another doorway, and I spot the one I’m looking for.

When I trail my fingers over this particular mirror, it sings to me, it recognizes me. It’s the mirror that Khaosti and I used to come from Valandria on our last visit. It will take Zayne and Josh to a spot less than a day’s travel from Hecate.

I hand Zayne Nightfall a little reluctantly, but she would be rather conspicuous for a lady’s maid. “Have you got a torch?” I ask. “Because it’s going to be dark when you get to the other side.”

“Yes, just like you told me. And I’ve also got food and water.”

“Good. Wait in the cave for me and—”

“Lily,” he says, “we’ve been over this a hundred times. Go rescue the asshole. Then come join us and save the goddamn world.”

He lowers his head and kisses the top of my head.

“Don’t call me that,” I snarl. Then I sniff, step back, and whisper a few words. “The mirror is ready.”

“We’ll be waiting for you.”

And then he’s gone.