Page 44 of Tangle of Lust and Lethargy

I raised the mirror. “Can you tell me if Garrick and Maggie are alive?”

I held my breath.

Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.

The mirror rippled like a pond and spoke in my mother’s voice. “Yes, they are alive.”

I tightened my grip on the handle. “Show me.”

“Follow the stream. It will guide you.”

With one last glance in the direction Justice had gone, I turned to face the unknown. The gentle babbling of a nearby creek urged me into the heart of this deceptively peaceful part of the Unseelie realm. I followed it, pressing the mirror to my thigh, ready to use it to send demons back to hell.

But if Maci caught me…well, that was another story, and I’d be seeing my mother soon.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Justice would be furious with me, but I could get back to him by following the stream. It was like a long breadcrumb leading back to the glade where he’d left me.

I picked my way along the stream’s edge, the gentle gurgle of water over stones a constant companion to my cautious steps. The cool, damp air rising from the brook carried the crisp scent of mineral-rich water.

As I progressed, the dense forest thinned out. The protective canopy of leaves and strange, wing-like structures overhead gradually gave way to patches of open sky. This shift in scenery stirred a growing unease in the pit of my stomach. The diminishing cover left me feeling exposed, vulnerable not only to the demons we’d encountered but also to Maci’s watchful gaze.

My eyes darted constantly, scanning the terrain around me. Every shadow looked like a potential hiding spot for a demon. The open patches of sky above seemed to taunt me as if daring a dragon to appear at any moment. The mirror felt heavy in my grip, my lifeline in this dangerous world.

I strained my ears, listening for any sound out of place. The soft whisper of wind through the thinning leaves. The occasional snap of a twig beneath my own feet. But I heard nothing ofdragons’ wings or demons’ footsteps. Only the persistent, almost mocking burble of the stream beside me.

Oppressive silence pressed in on me from all sides. It felt unnatural, as if the forest itself were holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Every muscle in my body tensed.

As I continued forward, the ground changed. The soft, loamy soil of the deeper forest gave way to rockier terrain. Small pebbles shifted under my steps, each tiny sound echoing in the unnatural quiet. I winced at every noise, certain it would give away my position to whatever might be lurking nearby.

The thinning trees revealed more of the sky with each step. Its color was unlike anything I’d seen before, a deep, swirling purple streaked with veins of silver and gold. It was beautiful in an alien way, but it also served as a constant reminder of how far from home I truly was.

Despite the open terrain, the air felt thick, almost syrupy. Each breath required more effort than it should, as if the atmosphere was trying to slow me down. The taste of something metallic lingered on my tongue, a flavor I couldn’t quite place but set my nerves on edge.

As I pressed on, following the stream’s winding path, a nagging thought surfaced in my mind. Was I walking into a trap? The exposed terrain, the silence, it all felt too convenient. Too easy. But the alternative of turning back and abandoning my search for Garrick and Maggie was unthinkable.

So I continued, every sense on high alert. The Mirror of Aethereal was a comforting presence in my hand, its surface occasionally catching the strange light and glowing from within. Whatever lay ahead, I was as prepared as I could be. The stream bubbled on, leading me deeper into the unknown heart of the Unseelie realm.

My pace slowed to a cautious crawl, each step deliberate and measured. I scanned the shadows on either side of the thinningtree line, searching for any hint of movement, any sign of a threat. The absence of those eerie red eyes was both a relief and a new source of tension. Their absence didn’t mean safety. It could simply mean a more cunning predator was at work.

Maci’s face flashed in my mind, her cruel smile and calculating eyes. She could be anywhere, blending into the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The thought sent a surge of adrenaline through my system, sharpening my senses further.

The gentle sound of the stream suddenly changed, growing louder and deeper. As I rounded a bend, I saw why. The brook widened and deepened into a still, mirror-like pool. Sunlight, so rare and precious in this realm, streamed in visible rays, illuminating the water’s edge.

There, bathed in the golden light, stood two figures. At first glance, they appeared as exquisitely crafted statues, their details so fine they seemed almost alive. Yet, as I blinked, trying to clear my vision, a gasp tore from my throat. Those weren’t statues.

“My God,” I whispered.

It was Garrick and Maggie.

Garrick stood slightly in front of Maggie, his posture protective even in this frozen state. His arms stretched out as if to shield her from some unseen threat. Every muscle in his body was taut, his expression filled with determination and fury.

Behind him, Maggie was caught mid-transformation. Her face contorted in a snarl, lips pulled back to reveal teeth that were a little too sharp to be human. Her hands, half-formed into claws, were raised and ready to strike. The energy of her interrupted shift was dangerous, even in this unnatural stillness.

Sloth demons.

This was their handiwork, their cruel magic frozen in time.

---