Page 95 of The Other Side of the Mirror

I was the heir to this realm, and I bowed to no one.

But I would do this for them.

“Let them go,” I demanded in a voice far calmer than I felt.

He looked down at me, a slow, sinister smile twisting his lips.

“Now.”

Aviel laughed, the sound echoing in my ears. “And why, exactly, would I do that? If I can’t have you, then neither can he…” He smiled sickeningly. “And he can’t have you if he’s dead.”

But I knew this was exactly what he was waiting for. For me to give myself up to him to save them. For my inevitable surrender.

My hands slackened at my sides.

“Don’t—” Bash rasped, thrashing against the bonds holding him. Gagging as the band on his neck tightened. His eyes were wild with fear as they met mine, his horror at what I was about to do written all over his ashen face. “Please.”

I love you,I thought, knowing he could feel the truth in my heart as I let it tumble down our bond.I love you.

But I didn’t let myself say the words aloud. Not when they would also mean goodbye.

I only wish we had forever.

“Don’t let him—” Yael let out an anguished hiss, the band on her neck tightening to stop her from saying anything else.

“I’m the one you want,” I said resolutely, as though their words weren’t tearing at my resolve. As if I wasn’t about to come apart at the thought of giving myself up tohim.

Rivan thrashed weakly at his magical restraints, his face steadily growing more purple. There was a muffled sound, and I knew he was trying to say something, but the band still pressed firmly against his mouth, blood spilling from where the light cut into his dark cheeks.

“If you let them go, I’ll stay.”

The words were ash in my mouth.

“No.” Bash’s anguished voice cut off as his face struck the stone, blood dripping from a wound on his forehead. But he growled, fighting as though he could force his way to me from sheer will alone. “Don’t?—”

“Unharmed,” I continued, my heart breaking at the words ripped from his throat. “You let them leave unharmed, and I’ll give myself to you.”

Bash let loose a roar as he continued to fight, straining against his bonds, even as I saw Yael’s shudder as Rivan stopped struggling. He was barely conscious now from the lack of air, his blood staining the floor around him.

“You’ll swear yourself to me?” Aviel’s voice was silk and shadow. “You’ll be mine?”

He stepped forward, reaching out his hand to grip my chin. His thumb traced my cheek possessively as he craned my neck upwards.

I forced myself to be still.

“Yes,” I breathed, acid climbing my throat. “Just let them free.”

I could feel Bash’s anguish in my bones, just as I knew he could feel my tremulous determination.

If I could get them out, they could figure out how to stop this with Tobias’s help—with whatever he knew. To end the False King for good.

Even if I couldn’t find my way back to them. Even if I couldn’t hold on that long.

But I would damn well try.

I could only see half of Bash’s face from the way it was being pushed down into the stone, but he went still as he read the silent thoughts in my head, as he always had. His lips parted in a snarl.

“Very well then,” Aviel said with a serpentine smile.

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