Page 53 of Wicked Prince of Mirrors
“And what about the madness?” Lyra prompted. “Have there been any vestiges of it?”
Now was the moment. “Sometimes I see a shadow, on the edges of my vision.”
“Tell Prince Methrin,” Lyra urged. “He will know how to help you.”
18
ESMIRA
“You’ve learned fast,” Methrin said as I joined him for another lesson.
“It’s the first time I’ve felt in control,” I admitted.
A guttural laugh came.You’re not in control, you only think you are.
I flinched.
Methrin unfolded his arms, facing me. Tilting his head, he studied my face, searching. “No lessons tonight,” he said at last.
Disappointment seeped through me. “Why?”
He pressed his hand over mine, as of late, I’d grown used to him touching me, guiding me. As it did every time, my body warmed to him and desire coiled deep within. This time it wasn’t enough to combat the swift kick of disappointment.
“I think you know why. Besides, you won’t forget what you know from one night off. You’re quick, already attunedto magic and your power—I’ve never seen it so strong.”
I blinked hard, unable to meet his gaze. My nose itched, the telltale warning of tears. He was proud of my progress and my chest swelled at the unspoken thought, but any happiness I might have felt was crushed under one single reminder.
The shadow.
Methrin did not want me to become accustomed to the darkness that came with my magic.
Lyra’s words prompted me, I needed to tell him, to ask for help. But the words would not come out the way I wanted them to so I reverted to a question. “Did you know others with Mirror Magic?”
“Many.” He leaned back over the railing, a sadness coming over his face. “This journey is, perhaps, unfair to you. You are young with your whole life ahead of you, a life of learning, of loving, and I’ve lived one of your lifetimes already. I told you that my father gave me a choice, to use Mirror Magic for warfare or be experimented on. Rydlin studied magic in all forms, so when he offered to help me, I agreed. You look at me as though he mistreated me but it’s not like the Venators, the academy. Here, participation is voluntary.”
I shuddered. “Is it? Why would you want him to study your magic?”
Methrin shrugged. “He was going to heal me. Of course I would have done anything to be free of the voices, the lurking shadow and the blackouts. I wanted to be free and whole, as I am now. I wouldn’t wish that misery on anyone, least of all you.”
I stepped closer to him, closing the distance between us. The wind caught his hair, ruffling it messily over his forehead. Curls danced around his neck and his jaw was hard, bare arms flexed and so help me I wanted to be tight in the circle of his arms, to sink into his scent, his comfort, to feel the warmth of his lips pressed against mine.
“Why didn’t you run?” he asked, voice hollow. “After I took you away from the palace, I waited, but you walked with me. You never fled, not until that beast attacked us anyway.”
Now it was my turn to look away, lost in memory. “My father once said that someone will show you who they are not by their words, but with actions. He was teaching me to be cautious who I invited into my inner circle, because rulers are used to fawning words. If someone has traitorous actions they will eventually give themselves away. But . . . you weren’t cruel to me. You weren’t the wicked prince I expected. You never forced me to do anything I didn’t want to. First by the river when you wanted to use my dress, my blood as a decoy as I refused. I thought you would chase me down, rip off my clothes and—well, you didn’t. Then that night when I didn’t know how to make my own bed you showed me. You gave me food, you made sure I had enough to drink and . . . I wanted to believe you were wicked. I waited for your cruelty. When I ran it was because of fear. I didn’t know you were Everminati and obviously the signs were clear. Your power, your immortality and the fact you hail from another realm frightened me more than anything. In my eyes you were practically agod. Then when the Venators had me and you came out of the mirror . . . I’ll never forget that moment.”
My throat went dry with the confession but Methrin’s warm hand was on my shoulder, turning me back toward him. His jaw worked and the intensity smoldering in his violet eyes drew me in. I felt trapped under a spell, hopelessly drawn to him.
“Me either,” he said roughly. “I felt your magic, your distress. It reminded me of how I felt when I discovered I was locked in the mirrorverse. I couldn’t imagine what might be happening, I was desperate and every corner, every portal, every route of escape was locked to me. Then I saw you on the other side of the mirror.”
My breath hitched. This was raw truth, this was honesty. “And then?” I whispered, wanting him to continue. It felt as though we were standing on the edge and I wanted him to take us over. Together.
“You freed me first,” he said, voice husky.
His fingers ghosted over my skin, skimmed my neck before he gently cupped my face and lowered his lips to mine. Tilting back my head I leaned up, breathless. Heat rushed around me as he pressed his palm against myspine, coaxing me closer. A hint of vanilla brushed by me, the scent tantalizing. My blood pulsed hard and there was a roaring in my ears until his lips touched mine and there was silence.
This kiss was different than all the other ones. It was a confession of truth. A deeper realization.
One of his hands moved around to the back of my neck, keeping me steady he skillfully parted my lips, tasting me, eliciting moans of pleasure from the back of my throat. That ache inside built into something bigger, it coiled and twisted, turning into an intense burning, a need for more.
