Page 46 of The Other Side of the Mirror

A bonding ceremony usually occurs after an anima bond falls into place. A formal way of accepting the bond.

The actual ceremony involves a circling—an ancient custom for protection, and a ring exchange.

A blessing is said to eternally bind blood, life, and love. That step can get…interesting.

I considered Bash’s clinical tone, as if this weren’t something that would imminently happen to me. Though maybe it wasn’t clinical, and I was reading into it. He was just giving me the information I asked for, after all. But something in my chest tightened when I saw his next message arrive.

Did the bond fall into place? Is that why you’re asking?

I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me, though I couldn’t help my blush at the thought of Aviel’s ravenous kiss in the greenhouse.

No, but Aviel doesn’t know exactly how the bond will stop the curse, just that it has to do with our joining. He mentioned doing the ceremony sooner, and maybe the bond will…catch up?

Dunking my head under the water, I sighed dramatically to myself when I resurfaced. I hadn’t planned on washing my hair, but I worked in some suds instead of staring at my palm like an idiot, if only to give my hands something to do. When Bash still hadn’t replied after I rinsed it out, I wrote again.

How will I know if the bond starts working?

Almost immediately, I felt that tickle on my palm.

You’ll know. My parents said it was like a part of them was intrinsically the others’ even before they accepted the bond.

I frowned. Basically what Yael had said, and just as unhelpful. I reached down to respond, but before I could, another message appeared.

My mother said that even in death, she would see my father in her dreams. I can only hope for that kind of love one day, even if it was what took her from us.

I stared at my hand in surprise. It was unusually sentimental for Bash to share that, even if the thought of him eventually settling down with some gorgeous fae made my teeth clench.

I can’t imagine finding your soulmate and then losing them. But I’m sure you’ll find the one, freckles.

I could almost hear his grumble at the nickname and felt a pang in my chest.

And here I thought we were finally on a first name basis, hellion.

I grimaced at his name for me. But I had brought that on myself.

If you were here, I would splash you.

His response only took a second.

And where exactly are you, that you could do so?

I blushed at the obvious reply, suddenly very aware of my nakedness even if he couldn’t see me.

Bubble bath. Fine, if you were here, I would scream and tell you to get out.

This time, his reply took longer. Then his familiar script etched itself across my life line.

No, you wouldn’t. You didn’t at the lake.

I swallowed hard and stood up, water coursing down my sides. Quickly, I gathered a towel around me before stepping out of the bath. He wasn’t wrong, but there was something dangerous about going down this path, especially with my evidently impending engagement. To Aviel, who wasmeantfor me. And even if I hadn’t gotten to choose him for myself, it still felt like a betrayal to be flirting—and yes, Iwasflirting—with someone else when I was destined to fall in love with another.

Bash had brought me here for a reason. To pretend otherwise was the height of folly.

Guilt settled in my gut as I dried my hair slowly with a towel. Forcing my mind away from that lake in the woods, I walked over to the vanity. It was topped with a silver-framed mirror that thankfully showed no hint of moving as I sat down on a cushioned stool with curling silver legs. The table was adorned with a collection of silver-handled brushes, tiny pots of makeup and styling tools, and a collection of delicate porcelain figurines.

I pinned my hair halfway up with a silver comb, drying what fell into curled ringlets. The small hairdryer somehow blew hot air without having to be plugged into the wall. I turned it over and over in my hands, wondering if it had been imbued with air magic in the same way I had pushed my darkness into my sword.

Painting my lips a deep rose, I applied some dark eyeliner that made me do a double take at the liquid pen—positive it had been brought from the human realm. Trying not to look back at the glimmering quill on my palm, I dotted a silvery eyeshadow on my eyelids to match my dress before slipping it on. Barely there off-the-shoulder sleeves cupped my triceps, the neckline showing off a generous amount of cleavage as the bodice pressed my breasts up in a mock corset. The gown laced down the back, creating an exaggerated hourglass shape as it nipped in at the small of my waist. The slinky material hugged my stomach before flaring out below my hips, the sheer panels showing more than a hint of skin.

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