Page 52 of The Eternal Mirror
“But how...” I stop because I can see she’s exhausted. “I’m getting you out of here.” I can hide her somewhere until we leave tonight. Can she even walk?
“You can’t. My life force is tied to the mirror.” She glances down at the silver strand that flows from her arm, across the floor. “He told me I would die if I am untethered. The only way to be free is when everything is gone and I am nothing—just an empty vessel.”
That doesn’t sound good. Is she telling the truth, or is it just something she believes? I don’t know. But I can’t risk it. I need to find out more.
She lowers her voice and whispers, “All you can do to help me is end my life. Free me from this travesty.”
I am so not ready to do that yet. “Look,” I say. “Just stay alive.”
“I haven’t found a way to die in two hundred years. I doubt I will find it now.”
That makes me want to cry. “Please don’t give up hope. I’ll find a way. I promise. And I’ll come back. I’ll get you out of here.”
“Maybe. Just tell me. My daughter, is she well?”
“She’s amazing. She’s working with the rebels, and she’s going to destroy Khronus. But you’ll see for yourself.”
“Don’t tell her you found me. She can’t risk coming here. She needs to stay far away.”
I won’t agree to that, but I just say, “Don’t worry about Sheela.”
There’s a sound from outside, and I go still. But it’s only distant footsteps that fade to nothing. All the same, I think it’s time to go.
I reach out and touch her one last time. “I promise, I’ll be back. I’ll find a way to free you.”
Then I straighten and walk out the doorway, whisper my spell, and the door forms, and I’m through. I could so easily have ended up down here. I still could, if Khronus discovers I’ve been nosing about.
I could leave and never look back. Take Josh and Zayne and run like hell. Ishouldleave. And part of me wants to so badly, I can almost taste my freedom.
But this? These women? If I leave now, this all keeps happening. To someone else. And that’s not the kind of witch I want to be. Which means there’s no escaping this place for me, either. I’m as tied to the palace as Yasmin.
In fact, I’m well and truly screwed.
But first things first. Get Zayne and Josh to safety.
And do not mention that I’ll be heading straight back here.
Chapter 18
The Exit Plan
Iclap my hands. “Okay, you two deadbeats, it's time to go.”
Zayne stops pacing the room, restless energy radiating from him. He’s been pacing for the last half hour, and it’s been driving me crazy. Josh lifts his head from where he’s sitting on the edge of the bed, his legs swinging nervously.
“We’re really going?” Zayne asks, a frown deepening on his face. “You know, I thought you’d find a way out of it somehow.”
“Yeah, because I like it here so much,” I snap. Then I heave a sigh. “I promised you, didn’t I? So let’s go.”
I’ve replayed this decision a million times and ultimately decided that I won’t tell Zayne I plan to return here. My priority is to get him and Josh somewhere safe. After that, I’ll come back for everyone else: the witches and Winter’s brother. Maybe I’m clingingto a save-the-world complex that I can’t shake off. Perhaps my upbringing carved it into my soul so deeply that I’ll never escape, spending what’s likely a very short life trying to save others.
I really hope not.
“Thank you,” Zayne says. “You know it’s the right thing to do.”
“Of course it is,” I respond, but inside, a pang of guilt flickers like a candle in a storm. I push it away, knowing he’ll find out the truth soon enough.
I lead the way out of the room and down the corridor, my heart thumping in my chest. I worked out my route beforehand, every step meticulously planned. I know exactly where Khronus is likely to be right now. Corvus was kind enough to share that with me—he’s proved to be surprisingly helpful. If this plan is going to work, Khronus must see what I’m about to conjure. My little diversion might not end up being necessary, but better safe than sorry. The more chaos below, the less likely anyone will notice us slipping away.
