Page 34 of The Eternal Mirror (Lucifer’s Mirror #3)

When We Actually Agree on Something...

T he guards escort me back to the room. I shut the door behind them and turn to face Khaosti; at least I think I’m facing him. I whisper a spell, and he appears in front of me. I want to be able to see his expression for the following discussion.

“Okay, I agree with you,” I say.

“You do? About what?”

“Everything. Well, maybe not everything, but I agree with the bit about us needing to get out of here.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

“With certain provisions.”

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “For a moment, I thought you were going to be sensible. What provisions? ”

“We take the witches with us, and Winter’s brother, and anyone else left in the dungeons.”

“There is no one else. I had a wander around down there while you were busy with my father. The cells are empty. I think he’s killed them all.”

“Okay. But Corvus if he wants to come.”

“Are you sure that’s all? No one else you want to bring? The chef? The kitchen staff?”

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm? I give him the benefit of the doubt. “The food is very good here.”

He shakes his head.

“Actually, I can’t think of anyone. What about you? You lived here. You must have someone you remember.”

“I left when I was twelve. There’s no one left that I remember.”

“Aw, that’s sad.”

He flings himself onto the sofa and stretches his legs out in front of him, arms behind his head. I take a moment to appreciate the sight of him—all long, graceful muscles and ferocious power. “So why the change of heart? What did my father say to you in there?” His eyes narrow. “Did he touch you?”

“No, he didn’t touch me.” I take the chair across from him.

“He can’t because of the wards. But he thinks he’s Vortex reborn.

He’s crazy. Also, the witches are dying.

Whatever he was doing to them, he’s doing it more and faster.

He’s draining them. If I leave it much longer, there will be no one left alive to save.

And he will go through the mirror and then it’s likely the end of everything. ”

I tell him of the vision I had and the conversation with Selene, leaving out the part where I asked about breaking the bond. I don’t think that would go down too well.

“So she killed Vortex? Her own mate?”

“Yeah, she did.” I raise an eyebrow. “So watch it or...” He doesn’t look bothered by the threat.

Could I kill him? I don’t think I could.

But who knows, if he pisses me off enough?

Another wave of guilt washes over me, followed by—I’m not sure what, but it hurts.

What if Selene can dissolve the bond? What would happen?

Will he just walk away from me without a backward glance?

My heart aches at the thought, and tears prick my eyes.

“Hey,” he murmurs, straightening and leaning toward me. “What’s wrong? For a moment, you looked like your whole world was about to end.”

I give myself a shake. If she did manage to break the bond, then presumably, I wouldn’t care if he walked away. I swallow. “I’m good. Just a little apprehensive.”

He stares at me for a while longer. Then he nods. “So, the Eternal Mirror is unstable and likely to what...?”

“Implode, taking everyone and everything with it. Reversing the whole of creation and wiping us out as though we never existed. On a positive note—would that be such a bad thing?”

“You’re such an optimist.”

“It’s just that, I can’t stop thinking about those witches down there…

They’ve been suffering for hundreds of years.

The refugees, the members of the Wolfpack your father slaughtered just because they were loyal to you…

What he did to you. The guardians… How many o f them turned to Lucifer just because of the way Khronus treated them?

The list is endless. But it’s nothing like what he will do if he gets the power he craves.

Bow down to him or...” I shake my head. “He’ll destroy the world and just make a new one. ”

“We’ll destroy him first.”

He sounds so certain. I’m not so sure. And besides, what happens if we do destroy him? Would someone just as bad take his place? From the little I’ve seen, usually the people who want power are the last ones who should get it. “If your father dies, will you take over as king?”

Shock flashes across his face. “No fucking way. I have no wish whatsoever to be king.”

See. “That’s probably why you should be.”

“No. Not happening. They’ll have to find somebody else.” He looks at me and smirks. “Maybe you could be queen instead.”

I sniff. “I’d make a good queen, and you’re the second person to suggest that this morning.”

His eyes narrow. “My father.”

“If I wanted to, I could be his queen for all eternity.”

A low growl rumbles in his throat. I’d forgotten what fun it is to wind Khaos up. But then, things have gotten a little serious recently. Too serious, perhaps. I open my mouth to say something else when there’s a knock on the door.

Khaos jumps up and slips into the bathroom, and I head for the door.

It’s the same servant from yesterday, and she has a pile of clothes over her arm.

Another girl follows her, carrying a tray.

Yay, breakfast. She places it on the table.

The clothes are laid on the bed, and they both bob and disappear.

I’m about to shut the door when I glance down the corridor and see someone loitering.

It’s Corvus. He sees me watching and nods but doesn’t move immediately.

Then two cloaked and hooded figures appear beside him, and they all hurry over.

We all disappear into the room, and I close the door, put the chair under the handle, and turn to look at my guests.

A smile tugs at my lips as Sheela throws back her hood. I step forward and hug her hard. Then I turn to the second figure. It’s Killian, which is unexpected, though I don’t know why. He did once tell me that he wanted a little more excitement.

“Hey, nice dress,” he says. “And nice digs.”

I growl then ask, “To what do I owe this honor?”

“I told you I would come,” Sheela replies. “I’m here for my mother.”

“And I’m acting as bodyguard and...” Killian shrugs. I catch a glance between him and Sheela. That’s interesting.

“You can come out,” I call. The bathroom door opens, and Khaos appears.

Shock flashes across Corvus’s face. He bows. “Prince.”

Khaos nods.

“There is one more thing,” Corvus says. “The Wolfpack wants to meet. Tonight, same place.”

I can get the witches away and everyone to the relative safety of the rebel camp and then come back with Khaosti to show them he’s alive and well. I catch Khaosti’s eye and give a nod.

“Okay, we’ll be there. ”

I head over to the table and help myself to some crusty bread and cheese.

I sit munching in silence for a while, waiting for someone to say something.

I’m actually glad to see Sheela; I know she said she would come, but I thought we would get back to the rebel camp before she set off.

I don’t blame her. If it were my mother.

.. Also, I suspect that if we manage to free the witches, including her mother, they will need some serious healing, and she’s much more experienced at that than I am.

Corvus clears his throat. “I need to get back, but you asked me to let you know if Khronus has any plans to leave the palace. He’s called an emergency Council meeting tonight.”

Well, that’s scarily convenient.

“Then we go tonight,” Khaos says.

I nod, but a shiver of unease runs through me.

I suspect Khronus doesn’t entirely trust me.

Is he setting a trap? But it doesn’t matter.

We have to take the risk because I feel like the walls are closing in on me here, that my chances of fleeing are growing weaker by the minute.

And I think of those blackened silver trails in the mirror chamber.

How many more will there be by this time tomorrow?

None if I have my way.

“Yes, we go tonight.”