Page 177 of Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight
That did not sound promising.
Something Aeron had done with that Mirror had unlocked something in him. She thought about what Venus had said, how they needed Caer to bring their plans to fruition. She remembered the tendrils of smoke that had escaped when the Mirror had first been activated.
It was like something was calling to him.
She paced about the room for a bit, double-checking the spells, staring out into the street. She tried to read the discarded papers on the floor, but couldn’t make out any of the words. The weapons couldn’t be sharpened. She missed her own.
And Dillon, too. He’d always been there during the night before.
She hated herself for leaving him behind. She kept reliving their escape in her mind, finding ways of getting to the stable. Everything seemed possible in hindsight.
Finally, she went over and sat next to Caer. He was so hot, and every cough made her insides ache. She placed her hand to his chest, and felt that same crackle Beau did, like a tear in his heart.
Her eyes turned back towards the window. She could still see the outline of the castle, the castle where all their answers lay, along with their missing companion.
“You’re thinking about doing something foolish, aren’t you?”
Aislinn jumped. Luna was sitting up, staring at her. “I, um… it mightnotbe foolish—”
“You can’t say it isn’t, can you?”
Aislinn shook her head.
“It’s all right,” Luna said. “I’m thinking of doing something foolish, too.”
Aislinn frowned, not understanding her meaning.
“Dillon,” Luna said. “He’s still in the palace grounds. I hope. Maybe. I don’t… I don’t know.”
Aislinn paled. She wasn’t sure how many people knew about Dillon or where he was staying, but she hoped he had the good sense to stay hidden.
“I’m going to go back to the palace,” Aislinn announced. “I’ll be faster on my own. I need to see the Mirror again, figure out what’s going on with…” She glanced across at Caer.
“Take me with you,” Luna said.
Aislinn shook her head. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Ais, how many times did we run into trouble in the Deep?”
“Um, many times. Many many times.”
“And how many times did you see me get hurt?”
“That—that is a very fair point.”
Luna gave a mock bow. “I am very good at staying out of trouble.”
Aislinn took a deep breath. “Fine. But as a lookout only. And I go into the palace alone.”
“Agreed.” Luna looked around her. “We shouldn’t leave them without a look-out.”
“I know,” said Aislinn, groaning. She shook Beau’s shoulder. He was the only one whomightnot give them a hard time. “Beau, dearest, can you wake up? I’m about to do something very stupid and I need you to cover for me.”
Beau moaned something under his breath and shifted into an upright position, already scowling. “I’m going to hate this, aren’t I?”
Aislinn and Luna made their way through the silent streets of Avalinth in a couple of cloaks Aislinn had stolen from a seedy tavern—one of the only places open this time of night. She’d wanted to pilfer a dagger as well, but she couldn’t see any easily accessible, and it wasn’t worth drawing any more attention to herself. Her height and the dress did not help with blending in.
Sticking to the shadows did. Usually she could glamour herself all but invisible, but before she’d even begun to learn magic, Juliana had taught her how to hide in the shadows, how to creep with the stealth of a cat. She used to creep up on her father, startling him half to death, and once even crept into the war room during an important meeting. She still remembered his scowl when he discovered her under the table, like he didn’t know whether to be proud or angry.
