Page 145 of Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight
“I don’t have much experience in the romance department… well, not to this degree, as I am, by all accounts, an excellent lover—”
“Really didn’t need to know that Beau, thanks.”
“But watching someone you care for in such pain… can’t be easy. I don’t imagine you’re all right just because he seems to be.”
Aislinn swallowed. “But he’s always in pain,” she said. “I think he will be until he doesn’t feel like his powers own him any more. And there is nothing,nothingI can do about that, not even be there for him because…” She sighed, her words aching. “I have never been so unsure in my life. Never this uncertain. I don’t even know what’s the truth.”
Her mother told her that sometimes—only sometimes—she envied the ability to only speak the truth. She said it would have been harder to lie to herself that way. Aislinn was not so sure, and she did not want to trial the truth by attempting to speak it.
I hate this I hate this I hate him.
Beau shrugged. “You’ll figure it out.”
“Beau!”
“What?”
“That’s so unhelpful!”
He threw up his hands. “I’m seventeen!” he declared. “I’m sorry I’m all out of wisdom to spout! You’re the older one!”
They both exhaled loudly, and then started to snigger.
“Sorry,” he added. “But, what I mean to say, is… I believe that you will figure it out. You’re smart, and brave… and a whole load of other things I’m embarrassed to admit about my sister. Also, I’m a romantic, and this deserves a happy ending.”
Aislinn smiled at him, and turned to watch Caer’s back.
But what if it doesn’t have a happy ending? What if it just has an ending? What if our future holds nothing but pain?
Caer sucked in his breath as they descended down into another level where the rock glittered like gold and entire caverns lit up like halls of gemstones. Parts of the ceiling were ink-black, veined with blue-purple and studded with white, giving it the appearance of starlight.
“Crystal,” Bell explained, as they plodded through. “Largely worthless—pretty though. Good for building.”
There were underground cathedrals, a beauty that felt strange to be carved by nature’s hand alone. It made Caer understand how fae could worship the world like the mortals worshipped gods, made him want to drop to his knees in prayer.
“Look alive, lad,” Minerva called. “You’re walking your wargi into a wall.”
Caer murmured an apology and steered his mount back on track, finding himself almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Aislinn. They hadn’t really spoken to each other since last night. Normal conversations were becoming something harder and harder to have. He felt like every time they spoke she snipped off a bit more of his soul, and he didn’t want to give her that power with an audience around them.
After dark, when they were alone, he was defenceless.
He did not mind as much as he used to. Aislinn could strip off all his armour. She could strip offeverything.
The back of his neck heated at the thought.
He really hoped they found the Mirror soon and got back to Avalinth quickly.
He drew up next to Bell. “How much longer until we reach our destination?” he asked her.
Bell consulted the map. “Hard to say,” she said. “There’s no precise location. Aeron believes it to besomewhereon the floor beneath this one, but the exact location is non-existent. Could be there by tomorrow, could be exploring for a week. Who knows!”
Caer groaned, but then his thoughts stilled, focusing on the Mirror in a way they had not done for several days. Keen as he was to get back, was this really the right call?
“Bell,” he said, “this mirror…”
“What of it?”
“I can’t help but worry that, no matter what he said, this Aeron person will use it for nefarious means.”
