Page 7 of The Other Side of the Mirror

I stiffened at his pitying look and fought the urge to look away. Shoving the anguish welling up inside me back down, I forced a blank mask onto my face. Bash’s eyes narrowed as though he could see right through the farce…like he could see right through me.

“In any case…” I continued, relieved to find my voice steady. “What do they have to do with any of this?”

“Everyone knows you’re betrothed to the Crown Prince of Agadot…the faerie realm,” Bash said gently. “Your parents would have known that before taking you to the human world.”

“Theprinceof the fairies, you say?” My tone dripped with sarcasm. “I don’t know who you think you are, but there’s absolutely no way that’s the truth. Or perhaps you think I’mthatgullible?”

Bash’s expression darkened. “Fae are not like humans when choosing the one with whom to spend their lives. We believe it’s predestined, preordained…inevitable. A soul recognizing its counterpart in another. Or, as we call it in our ancient tongue, ananimabond.”

Inevitable. That word alone shook me to my core, and it took a second to gather my thoughts as the word echoed over and over in my head.

“You’re telling me you’re kidnapping me to take me to my soulmate?” Adding, as sardonically as I could manage, “Who’s a fairy?”

Yep, he’s lost it.

But Bash’s intense gaze didn’t leave mine, and I found myself unable to look away from the truth in his eyes.

“Fae,” Bash corrected softly. “And I’m telling you that everyone in our realm knows the future bride of the crown prince was stolen away to the mortal realm after his father, the False King, did his very best to tear our world apart. And that girl was hidden so carefully that even her own soulmate couldn’t find her. I’m saying that Prince Aviel has been searching for you his entire life, and I’ve been tasked with bringing you home, because without you two together, both realms will crumble from the curse that plagues both our worlds.”

I stared up at him, unwilling to lower my dagger even an inch as he stepped up to its point. With shock, I realized Bash’s eyes were indeed moving—the irises whirling slowly as if whipped up in the funnel of a hurricane—leaving me momentarily mesmerized.

This can’t be real. This can’t be…

“Curse?”

“Did you think the worsening weather in your world was natural?” Bash asked scornfully. “That the extreme seasons were the end of it? In our realm, the very land is turning to ash as its magic is ripped away.”

I felt a chill down my spine. The frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters had indeed grown markedly worse in recent years. But there was no way that had anything to do with fae or magic or…

“And bringing me to some fae prince is going to change that.” I fought the urge to cross my arms, unable to keep the distrust and deprecation from my tone. Even as something in his voice was making me start to believe him. Or maybe it was the pile of dirt mocking me from my living room floor where a magical creature had been trying to kill me. “Strange how no one in my world realized those disasters were due to a magical curse…”

He shrugged, ignoring my sarcasm. “I’m not saying it’s not also due, in part, to the destruction mortals wreak upon their realm. But, knowing humans, they’d rather blame each other than look for the true cause.”

I glared at him.

Bash’s lips twitched. “I promise I’ll explain more as soon as I get you somewhere safe.”

“But if my parents took me here, why wouldn’t they tell this prince where they brought me?”

Bash made an impatient sound. “Perhaps they couldn’t. He was imprisoned for a time. I’m sure your prince can tell you the whole story when we get there.” Bash finally looked away. The lack of eye contact felt like a spell had broken between us. “All I know is that whatever wards were keeping this place safe have fallen if that thing was able to get inside. Which means we need to pack up and go,now, before anyone else tries to come and take you.”

My lip curled contemptuously. “You mean opposed to howyoutried to take me?” I backed up a step, eyeing the front door as I weighed my options. “I can take care of myself.”

Yet indecision crept into my gut as I pictured more creatures like the one now staining my rug.

“The people that sent that golem are coming for you,” Bash said, his voice dangerously soft. “Which means that I’m your only chance of getting out of here alive.” He hesitated, as if trying to find the right words. “Please, you have to trust me, at least to get you out of here before anyone or anything else comes for you. Or at least try to trust your intended. Prince Aviel was the one who alerted the Southern Rangers that the wards shielding you had finally been broken, and my friends and I happened to be the closest to the border between our realms when we received his message.”

I still wasn’t sure if I could trust Bash. Okay, IknewI couldn’t trust Bash. But I knew he was right about getting out of my apartment before anything else could happen. And Bashdidhappen to be handy with a sword. I could figure out what to do next once I was safely away.

My decision made, I nodded tersely, walking over to retrieve the leather holder for my dagger from my bag. But I didn’t sheath it yet. Bash’s lip curled, watching me as I flipped the blade threateningly in my hand.

My parents had given it to me, and a matching one to my brother, on our thirteenth birthday. The dagger had a slender blade of shining silver; the metal gleaming brightly in the light almost as though it had a life of its own. Its handle was crafted from smooth, polished silver and was etched with intricate, latticed designs, the pommel adorned with a single white sapphire. This blade had actually belonged to my brother. Mine had a black diamond to match my necklace. It had gone missing after the fire that took my family from me.

While the blade looked almost ceremonial, it was a formidable weapon. Not that I had ever been given the chance to truly try it out. Though maybe I would test it on the arrogant bastard scowling at me for asking entirely reasonable questions if he attempted to grab me again.

Bash stalked into my room and opened my closet, grabbing a backpack from behind the door and thrusting it into my open hand. I gritted my teeth at his absolute disregard for the weapon I held. At the threat I posed.

“Pack light, hellion.”

---