Page 27 of The Midwinter Mirror
Fuck.“Astrali?”
“Yeah. Anyway, they would come through and hunt the humans. Like for fun. They’d slaughter the men, and with the women, they’d…you know.”
“We know.” Josh isn’t comfortable talking about sex, though he knows about it.
But that makes so much sense. The reason I survived the bite of the shadowguard and became a shifter is that I have Astrali blood. If I’d been pure human, I would have died. So, this Wild Hunt was coming through the mirror, having a bit of fun, shagging the women, and leaving their legacy behind. I’m betting one of these guys was my great…a zillion times—grandpa. So yeah—legacy. Not the type you brag about. But right now, all I care about is Tansy.
So why don’t we ever see them?” Holly asks. “I mean, I think someone would have noticed. Taken a picture…”
“This is what me and Milo”—Grimlet tugs on his hair—“and Grimlet think. The villagers got fed up with being hunted andprayed to their god for help. And he did help. He killed the hunters, all except the leader—his name was Khazim—who was too powerful. So they locked him away in an ice prison, through the mirror, for all eternity. And for hundreds of years, it was all good.”
“And then what happened?”
Josh is looking at me again. “There was a great battle in the stars. And after that, if it snowed on the winter solstice, then Khazim would walk.”
“Holy shit,” I whisper. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Josh nods.
“Vortex—Vortex is one of the first gods,” I add for the people who don’t know, “locked him in the prison and shut the mirror. But then, when Vortex was killed, the spell weakened, and this Khazim somehow managed to get out. But only on the solstice.”
“I think it must be a bit like the shadowguard,” Josh says. “He’s notreallyhere, but he sort of manifests. Except he’s getting stronger, able to do more. That’s why in the last years there have been so many…bad things happening here on the solstice.” He looks at me as he says this. I presume he’s come across a report on what happened with my mum and dad. Sadness washes over me. The Astralis are responsible for so much shit on all the worlds.
“We’re thinking that for some reason, he’s managed to lure the children through the mirror. But why?”
“We don’t know. We couldn’t find anything. Maybe he’s…lonely. But there’s something else.”
I can tell by his tone that it’s not going to be good.
Josh swallows. “There’s a story that the humans who aided him were locked up with him as punishment. It was a death sentence. Humans can’t survive in the ice prison. They die after three days.”
Everything tilts. “That means…?”
“We’ve got until Christmas morning—tomorrow,” Josh says. “If we can’t get them out before dawn, they’re dead.”
The words land like a blow. The fire hisses and goes quiet. Someone knocks over a mug. Holly’s fingers go white where she grips the chair.
And I hear the clock in the corner start to tick like a drum.
Chapter 11
Am I really stupid?
Holly
Islog through the thick snow. Again. The letter burning a hole in my pocket.
Everything feels wrong. And I can’t shake the feeling that I should be doing something—anything—else to find the children.
The temperature has risen slightly, and the snow is soft, giving way under my feet as we trudge toward Silvergate. Josh is racing up ahead. That…thing clinging to his shoulder.
I tried to throw the letter into the fire but couldn’t make myself do it. Is it really from my mother? And is it true? I’m leaning toward yes, despite that my whole mind screams no. But it’s that catch-22 thing again.
At least Zayne will be happy to know he was right. It appears I’m under a compulsion spell.
I peer sideways at his tall figure striding along beside me. He turns as if sensing my gaze and raises an eyebrow.
I scowl. “I suppose you want to talk some more?” I snap. I know he wants to ask about the letter.
