Page 64 of The Eternal Mirror
I turn to Sheela. “I’ll see you at the palace.”
“I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me now?”
“No. There are things I need to do first. Things I need to put in place—just in case.” She trails off, but I know what she means. Just in case she doesn’t come back.
I nod. “I’ll see you then.”
And finally, Khaosti.
“Well, this is goodbye.”
“Not a fucking chance,” he snarls. But there’s no fire in his words.
I suppose I could just make another run for it, like I did last time. Just create a mirror and dive through it before he can stop me.
But I’m not going to. I’m past running. And as I admit it to myself, something eases inside me. I’m not going to let him know yet. I’m not letting him off the hook that easily.
“Well, this is it.”
I heave my bag onto my shoulder. It contains food and drink. Because while I could just make a mirror here, I want to walk for a while. I need to think things through before I get back to the palace and face Khronus. I need to decide on the best way to avoid him dragging me straight down to the dungeons and hooking me up to his creepy mirror.
So I’ll walk. And I’ll think. And I’ll plan.
And then, when I know what I’m going to do, I’ll open a mirror.
And I’ll be back. Something to look forward to.
I nod to the lot of them, but as I turn my back, a horrible thought curls through my mind like smoke.
What if I never see them again?
It hits like a punch to the ribs. Sudden. Stupid. And entirely my fault.
I don’t know why the thought comes as a surprise. It’s been loitering in the back of my mind since I told Zayne we would leave yesterday morning. I knew I had to go back. And I know there’s a good chance I won’t survive.
I pause, then glance back—just once. A half-second of weakness. Maybe the last. They’re all still standing there, unmoving. As if they’re trying to memorize me. Like they also know this is a goodbye I might not come back from.
As I turn back, Josh calls out, “Promise you’ll come back, Amber!”
“I promise.”To try.
Then I stiffen my back and start walking. My spine goes rigid, as if that will hold me together. But my heart? It aches. Like something is splintering under the skin. My hand comes up, and I rub my chest. But I keep walking.
The path out of camp is narrow and gravelly, and my boots crunch too loudly in the quiet. I don’t look back again, even though my whole body wants to twist around. I don’t need to look. I can feel them. Especially him. His gaze presses between my shoulder blades like a brand.
I have this feeling he’s not going to stay still for long.
And I don’t know how I feel about that.
I want him near enough to breathe him in. I want him so far away I can forget he ever said my name. What does that make me? Weak? Or just scared enough to lie to myself and call it strength?
With a little distance, I’ve come to realize something. Last time I left him, it was to stop him from dying. This time… Now that I’ve had the chance to think, to reallyfeelit—I know the truth. If Khaos dies, I won’t just hurt. I’ll break. Beyond fixing.
Stupid fucking mating bond.
And I have things I need to do, so broken doesn’t work for me. Which means I’m going to have to keep him alive. No matter what it costs.
