Page 34 of Wicked Prince of Mirrors
I nodded, but her reassuring words were not enough to assail my fears.
The tunnels had come to an end and we stood in front of a stone wall. Rydlin pressed his shoulder against it, grunting.
“Wait, let me,” Methrin said, waving his torch in front of the wall Rydlin pushed again.
A faint outline appeared as Methrin handed Rydlin the torch, then pressed his shoulder into stone.
Stone ground against stone. A bellow came from deep within the tunnels, and a sliver of light appeared.
I shielded my eyes as it grew brighter, a haze of green appeared and a breeze blew the scent of lilacs and sea salt to my nose.
“Watch your step,” Rydlin called, leading the way out.
Methrin followed, then Lyra, and last of all, myself. As I stepped past Methrin I couldn’t help looking at him, surprised to find him staring back at me. A heat filled me as our eyes met, for we hadn’t spoken since he’d proposed. He parted his lips, then pressed them back together, nodding at me.
Whatever hope had been rising inside faded. I wanted more from him. Not an apology but something genuine, not bound by the fact that we both had Mirror Magic and were meant to help each other.
Tearing my gaze from his, I blinked against the strength of the light. We’d come out on a hillside dotted with scattered trees. The land continued to flow down into thick trees and flattened out into a grassy meadow. Beyond the meadow sparkled an immense body of water and above it the sky was blue instead of lavender. It was breathtaking.
Until I turned around.
The hillside rose and dipped, but nothing could block out the insurmountable force that hovered beyond them. A rich purple essence darkened the sky.
The Boundary.
This was the closest I’d been to it, and a nonsensical fear swept through me. A hum of energy vibrated in the air like a chord of music strung wrong. I wanted to get away from it, to flee in the opposite direction and keep running until it was no longer in sight.
“Where is the mirror?” Methrin asked, pushing against the stone to roll it back into place.
I watched with dismay.
If a beast came out of the foliage and attacked us, we’d be forced to fight.
“We are at Cape Vertail,” Rydlin explained. “The passage runs into the valley and we will cross it to the wood, where the mirror is hidden. By tomorrow this time, we will reach it. Follow me.”
The land was quiet as we walked downhill, the occasional cry of a creature, the shifting of the foliage. Anxious, I searched the skies, wondering when we’d be attacked, but we traveled without mishap.
Eventually the track on the hillside ended in the meadow where we could walk side by side. The grass grew wild and long, sometimes as high as my waist. A flash of color flew up in front of me and I let out a cry, immediately feeling ashamed when a bright red butterfly stretched its wings.
Lyra laughed, but not unkindly. “The creatures here are unusually big, they grow unchecked since they aren’t hunted by, well, by us, and the Boundary makes it hotter than it should be on this side. With the water it’s like an enormous greenhouse.”
“A monster breeding ground.” Rydlin shook his head. “I warned the king that this plan was folly, thatwe’d be making our own enemies, but he saw it as the lesser evil, he did not listen.”
I stiffened, knowing he spoke of my father. “What about you? Didn’t you help build the Boundary?”
“Ah.” Rydlin waved a gnarled hand and nodded at me. “Very perceptive, I offered counsel to the king, both to save my neck and hide my secrets. The beasts were predators, some of them had magic but many had long teeth, sharp fangs, and wings. They could breathe fire, were large enough for a man to ride upon, and could be used in war to wreak havoc.”
He tapped his head. “Your father, my dear, was very smart. In fact, it was my wish that he’d discover magic of his own, but it was not to be. He was aware that a monster had escaped from the mirror and he wanted to appease the people, to show he was worthy to be their ruler. Unfortunately, he saw the negative effects of magic, for not all those with magic use it for its intended purposes. Regardless, the king seized the opportunity to get rid of the beasts and give those with magic a task, and allow them to be kept under the careful control of the army.”
I did not want to talk about my father’s motives. “What about you? How were you able to escape?”
“I did not escape. I begged leave to guard the Boundary and then simply disappeared into the ruins. My purpose has not changed, I still guard the Boundary and see what their actions have wrought. The truth is, the Boundary must be destroyed in order for balance to be restored.”
“Father,” Lyra interrupted. “There’s something flying toward us.”
My gaze went skyward and sure enough, a black spot in the sky was quickly approaching, diving. A shadow rippled over the grass, wide, dark, impossibly enormous.
“Get down,” Rydlin ordered. Even though he did not raise his voice his command was firm and unwavering.
