Page 20 of The Mirror in the Mountain

“Don’t bother lying to me.” The glower on my brother’s usually amused face was enough to stop me in my tracks. “Besides, we don’t even know if their mirror is blocked.”

If the gate was closed to us, our other option was to go by horseback on a too-long journey. Far too late to stop Aviel from doing what he wanted to Eva. Especially if we dragged an army along with us.

To check would be to engage the magic of the mirror, and if someone was watching it from the other side and saw the warning of the ensuing ripple…

“Then give me a better option. Every second we waste?—”

Rivan slammed his fist down on the map in front of him, the outburst so unlike him I jumped. I knew that half his frustration was from wanting to follow me through—to save her by my side.

Yael’s eyes widened in surprise. “Rivan…”

“We all want to get her back,” he said, slowly uncurling his fist. His fingers shook slightly. “To save her the same way she did us. But we only get one chance to do it right, otherwise, we’re just failing her all over again.”

“If itisopen, I can hold them back long enough for our people to follow and make it a fair fight.”

Rivan got to his feet, hands scrunching the map as his fingers curled. “Fair until Aviel arrives, and we’re back where we started with no one to bail us out this time.”

“It’s our only chance of getting to her quickly. Otherwise?—”

Rivan swore under his breath. “We still need a way to drain Aviel’s power before we rush through that mirror. Or it’ll be just another trap.”

He was right. Side by side, we could maybe fit four at a time through the mirror at once. Stealth would be useless whenwalking into the bright entry of a palace. Even with my magic, it would be a slaughter, and that was if we could even make it through.

“We’ll have help,” Tobias cut in. “We just need to get there. I’ve already let the Solearans know.”

All eyes snapped to him, though Yael spoke first. “I thought you said the Solearans went into hiding when your parents left.”

“Yes and no,” Tobias muttered. “But I don’t have time to explain now. They’re ready to move on my word. To provide a distraction when we need them to.”

“And they’re close enough to do so?” At Tobias’s nod, Marin raised a brow. “How many?”

Tobias shrugged slightly. “Enough. Based on the numbers your spies saw leaving Morehaven.”

“This still only works if we can get through the mirror,” Rivan grumbled. “If not, we won’t get there quickly enough to change anything.”

Tobias grimaced. “I have another way in if we can’t. But we’ll be wasting time.”

Rivan’s gaze sharpened on him. “One you didn’t think to mention before?”

Tobias’s brows drew together. “It wasn’t?—”

“Not now, boys.” Yael put a hand on her hip. “Main mirror plus the Solearan distraction, then Tobias’s backup route if it doesn’t go to plan.”

Nodding, I rested my hand on my sword. “Then let’s?—”

I staggered on my feet. Then my heart stopped beating entirely as I realized I could feel Eva again, the bond between us flickering to life without preamble. If I could feel her, she must have gotten the collar off. But there was no sense of relief, nothing that felt like freedom or safety. Cold sweat broke out on my skin, my grip tightening around my pommel.

Everyone’s eyes sharpened on me, my sister stepping forward as though her magic could fix whatever ailed me.

“I can feel her,” I gasped out, my blood roaring in my ears. Then sucked in a breath as her fear ripped down our bond, as sharp as a blade as it sliced me apart. Whatever had caused this, she was far from safe. Her terror was multiplying despite the grit of her resolve.

Marin grabbed my arm. “Did she escape?”

“She’s...I think she’s fighting.” I choked as pain tore through our bond, the feeling of it so excruciating I nearly dropped to my knees with a howl. My horror hardened into molten rage. “She’s fighting him.”

Panic that wasn’t my own skittered down my spine paired with a resilience that made my chest heave. My stomach lurched sickeningly as I realized I was about to feel myanimabe forcibly taken by another. My hands balled into trembling fists, my fear mirroring her own. I could barely think, barely breathe—about ready to fly out of my skin.

Tobias stood, shaking with rage. “We need to help her.”

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