Page 18 of The Eternal Mirror (Lucifer’s Mirror #3)

Khaos

I step through the mirror into the Chamber.

For a moment, I think I’m alone; maybe the others decided not to come after all.

I wouldn’t blame them. But as I turn to look, the glass ripples, and Killian tumbles through.

He crashes into me, and we nearly fall. I manage to steady us both as Jack emerges, and this time we all end up on the floor.

Laura follows, making a perfect entrance and standing above us, with one eyebrow raised.

Finally, Grimlet flies through the mirror, screeching, his amber eyes glowing. He smashes into a nearby mirror, shattering the glass. He twists in midair, folds his wings, and falls to the floor in front of us.

I push at the men on top of me, and they scramble to their feet. I stand up and brush myself off .

“Sorry,” Killian mutters. “I’ll be ready next time.”

Presuming there is a next time—that we actually survive this place.

“That was...surreal,” Jack says.

I look around. The place is exactly how I remember it: too quiet, too perfect, too fucking silver.

Above us, the night sky stretches out like a painted dome, with stars so bright, they burn. The air tastes sharp—like static, like magic.

“Shit,” Jack mutters, rubbing his arms. “What is this place?”

“The Chamber of Mirrors,” I say. “Welcome to Astrali.”

Grimlet launches himself from the floor and lands on my shoulder. His claws dig into my jacket.

“Grimlet hates this place.”

Smart gargoyle.

The room is circular, with smooth walls and tall mirrors arranged like soldiers in formation.

Most of them are blacked out—matte glass that swallows light.

A few glow faintly; those are the active portals.

The ground beneath our feet is pale stone, shot through with veins of silver, humming softly as if it’s alive.

Killian scans the room, one hand near his belt. “No guards.”

“No,” I say. “Brown’s distraction obviously worked. We have ten minutes to get the hell out of here.”

We don’t have long. The guards will be back. I lead the way across the chamber, our boots echoing on the stone. Every sound is too loud. I half expect the mirrors to start whispering.

They don’t .

Yet.

We reach the far side of the room. There’s a narrow archway there, almost hidden in the curve of the wall. I remember it from when I was a kid; it leads to the warden’s corridors that run behind the chamber walls.

I slip through the archway, and the others follow close on my heels.

We move quickly down a narrow flight of stairs. The walls are rough-hewn here, less polished. The magic feels thinner too, as if it can’t quite reach this far. I breathe a little easier. It should lead us to the back entrance of the Chamber.

“We’re not being followed,” Killian says behind me.

“Yet,” I mutter.

Another turn. Another corridor. I shove open a wooden door at the end and step out into the open air. This entrance faces away from the city; there are no lights and no movement. I make my way along the wall to the front of the building and peer around the corner.

The city sprawls out ahead of me, all white stone and gleaming towers under the moonlight.

It’s too clean. Too bright. Like it’s trying too hard.

The gates of the city aren’t far—maybe half a mile across manicured lawns and glowing flowerbeds.

They’re closed for the night, but I have no intention of entering through the main door.

“Follow me,” I murmur.

I scan the area one last time, just to be sure. All is quiet .

I head off at a tangent, keeping clear of the thoroughfare that leads from the Chamber to the city gates. We finally reach the wall, and I circle around.

We slip into the shadows of the outer wall and crouch low behind a hedge that smells like mint and metal. The others catch up, breathing hard. Even Grimlet is silent, pressed tight against my neck.

Killian wipes sweat from his brow. “So...now what?”

Now?

Now I find her.

Because I can feel her. Not just in the bond, but in my bones. She’s here, somewhere in that glittering monstrosity, and she’s hurting.

I close my eyes. And she’s there—rage, hurt, hunger, fear. Not words. Just feeling. Raw and tangled. Like she’s trying not to break. Or maybe already has.

My whole body tightens. The dragon inside me wants out. The bond pulses, tight and hot. It drags at my chest, my heart, my soul. I grit my teeth. I want to roar, to burn the place down until I find her.

But I don’t.

Not yet.

I need to think this through, not blunder blindly in, however much my whole being is screaming to get her—now.

“We need to find my cousin, Sheela,” I say.

Brown had mentioned she was working with the rebels, so she’ll likely have contacts in the palace.

First, we need to know what’s going on. She can also possibly get me in touch with the Wolfpack, or what's left of it. I’m sure once they see I’m alive, they will follow me.

Killian snorts. “You have a plan?”

“Nope.” I glance toward the glowing city. “But I’ve got something better.”

“What’s that?”

“Motivation.”

Actually, I’ve got a pissed-off dragon, a talking gargoyle, and a bonded mate who might kill me when I find her.

I bare my teeth.

“Let’s go.”