Page 112 of Crown of Briars
She couldn’t see me at all.
I sucked in a sharp breath, unsure if I was hallucinating or if this was some strange magic I didn’t know about.
Then, my gaze fell to the stone in my hand.
Holy shit.Was that its power? It allowed me to see through mirrors?
“How did you convince her?” Tislora asked. My gaze snapped to the mirror, my attention fixing on the scene before me.
“She offered it willingly,” Varius said.
Tislora took the vial from him, uncorked it, and sniffed its contents. I held my breath, waiting for her to recognize the scent of my fae blood.
But she only wrinkled her nose. “Human blood is so foul. I don’t know how you stand being in the same room as her.”
Anger and shame washed over me, boiling my blood and cinching my chest. What a bitch.
“I hadn’t noticed,” Varius said.
Tislora snorted before pouring the contents of the vial into the cauldron in front of her. “Is she making you soft, Varius? I thought you hated humans.”
“I only hate the ones who inflict harm on my people,” Varius said. “And that does not include Sybelle.”
Tislora laughed without humor as she stirred the liquid bubbling in the cauldron. “You really think she’s much better, just because she’s not on the front lines? She was raised to despise us, Varius. She believes us to be monsters.”
“No, she doesn’t.”
“If you believe that, then you are a fool.”
Varius growled, the sound low and threatening. “Watch yourself, Lor.”
“She will murder you in your sleep,” Tislora snapped. “That vile human brat is charming you, waiting for you to let yourguard down. And when you do, she’ll shatter the fragile remains of our kingdom.”
Varius’s black wings flared wide, his claws extending as a roar burst from his lips. “She ismy wife, Tislora,” he snarled. “You will show her the respect she deserves or I will slice open your throat.”
Tislora’s silver eyes flashed as she pinned him with a glare. “I’d like to see you try, oh great king.”
“My lady?”
I yelped and dropped the black stone. It clattered loudly to the floor. In an instant, the scene in the mirror vanished. Heart pounding, I turned to find Enzira poised at the doorway of the bathing chamber, a small frown on her face.
Had she seen? Had she witnessed the magic in the mirror?
I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm my breathing. I carefully angled my body so I was blocking her view of the gemstones on the floor. “You scared me,” I said breathlessly.
“Forgive me.” She pressed a fist to her chest. “I thought you might need assistance.”
I swallowed around the fear knotting in my throat. “I—I have had quite a rough night. I was going to bathe and get some sleep.”
Enzira nodded with a hesitant smile. “I’ll ready your sleeping gown.”
She turned to leave, but I stopped her. “Enzira?”
She paused, not quite meeting my gaze. “Yes, my lady?”
“I’m sorry for my behavior toward you after the revel. I should not have yelled at you like that. I—I know none of this is your fault, and you have been nothing but kind to me. Please forgive me.”
“All is forgiven, my lady. I do not harbor any ill will toward you.” She met my gaze at last, her eyes guarded and full of despair.
