Page 203 of Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight
Caer frowned. He didn’t know Cerridwen well, but this meekness didn’t seem like her.
“Please,” she carried on. “I’m just mortal—same as you. I don’t have any special powers.”
The guard scoffed, snorting at his friend who held the other side of her chains, and turned back to watch Aeron.
He’d seized Aislinn’s face.
“Is he dead?” he screamed at her. “Is he truly dead?”
Aislinn carried on sobbing.
Aeron righted himself. “Prince Caerwyn,” he said, “if you’re here, then reveal yourself, or I will kill her.”
“No!” Hawthorn hissed, struggling in his chains.
A guard kicked him in the stomach.
Caer stilled.No, not her. Don’t you dare.
His immediate instinct was to crawl out of his space and give himself up. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.
But if he went, he knew that Aeron would use the Mirror’s power to wipe out the fae. If he went, hundreds or thousands of people were going to die.
His people. Minerva’s people.Aislinn’s.
And he’d be condemning her to watch.
How would that be saving her? How would that be doing her any favours?
Exhaustion crawled at his bones. Whatever Hawthorn had done to save him was fading fast, now. He didn’t think he had much time left. If he stayed here undetected a little longer…
Minerva was still coming. Maybe the day could still be won.
Just he and Aislinn wouldn’t be a part of it.
“No?” said Aeron. “Have it your way.”
A dagger flashed, and before Caer could even understand what was going on, Aeron slashed Aislinn’s throat.
Caerhadnodoubtthat if Hawthorn had been in control of his powers, the roar he let loose would have shattered the room. It was the sound of a monster, of grief personified, as sharp and crushing as an avalanche.
It was the sound that Caer’s chest was making, though his mouth remained soundless.
Hawthorn launched forward in his chains, but the soldiers dragged him back, kicking him over and over. Hawthorn barely seemed to notice. His hand was still reaching for Aislinn.
She was still bleeding, her throat a ragged, pulsing mess, her eyes wide and circling.
Beau was screaming, Hawthorn still struggling, Aislinn still moving.
And Caer was watching, pinned in place, unable to move.
This wasn’t happening.
Thiscouldn’tbe happening.
Cerridwen yanked the chains from her captors. She looped them around one of their necks and flipped over, gripping the other with her thighs and squeezing until they both slackened. The chains still wrapped around her wrists, she flung them at one of the guards holding Hawthorn, before picking up a stray axe and decapitating another one.
Hawthorn sprung free.
