Page 107 of The Mirror in the Mountain

My hands shook from the effort of keeping the door closed, and I clenched my jaw, my teeth grinding against the strain, barely able to hold out against the various powers trying to break my shadows’ dark embrace.

The clamber of the battle behind me grew somewhat quieter. I didn’t have to look to know my friends, my family, and myanimawere making short work of our greeting party.

I grimaced as a renewed onslaught of magic turned my attention from that battle to the one that I had to control. My shadows seemed to shrivel against the sheer force of so manymagics used against me, yanking at the door to try to muscle their way in—my power draining far too fast.

But without it…

Iron or not, I knew the door wouldn’t hold for long.

Chapter 46

Eva

Icouldn’t feel Bash. Our bond felt muted the second we crossed the threshold of the mountain, as if I was still wearing that collar around my throat. The buzzing in my head had grown louder, like this cursed place had thrown a damper over everything except for the blaring call of the mirror I had no choice but to follow.

Gritting my teeth, I held up my sword as a fresh wave of Aviel’s soldiers rushed from a side passage. My darkness leaked from my hands as I struggled to keep it in check. To reserve that death blow, or something close to it, for the one who deserved it.

Yet there was something within that well of power, something volatile. A vicious undertow deep beneath that called for pain, for vengeance by any means necessary. One I might get swept away in if I wasn’t careful.

One soldier saw my expression and took a step back.

Smart. But not enough to save him.

“Surrender now,” another demanded, flame bursting from his fingertips in fiery whips. “Or we’ll be forced to kill you all before we bringherto our king.”

I didn’t bother replying, just inclined my head in mock invitation.

They could certainlytry.

Before he could take another step toward me, Yael’s power shot forward, the fire extinguished in the same vacuum that tore the breath from their throats. Stones moved up from the ground in jagged bursts, impaling more soldiers not quick enough to get away. Tobias and Quinn moved in tandem to my right, Duskbane glowing in the dim light.

I glanced behind me, where Bashstill held those towering iron doors closed. His arms were shaking from the strain of his magic, his shadows firmly wound around the long handles of the doorway like a rope made of dark iron. I didn’t need to feel him across our bond to know that wielding that much power was draining him. Sweat formed on his brow as more and more shadows whipped from him, joining their brethren.

We don’t have time for this.

My darkness shot forward as if it couldn’t be contained any longer, forming into spears that impaled the remaining soldiers, skewering them where they stood. I lifted my sword, waiting for more to appear…but there were only bodies left in front of me.

“Our forces need to retreat now that we’re in,” I whispered, thinking of the mix of Solearan and Imyrian forces fighting for their lives where we had left them in the forest. “To regroup with the Esterrans as planned. Especially with the storm.”

Rivan grinned, admirably nonplussed. “Retreat? Hell, we just got here.”

I glared at him. “Rivan.”

Those violet eyes danced, a warrior obviously in his element despite the danger. Or, more likely, because of it. “Way ahead of you. I sent a missive the second that door closed. But I’ll send another just in case.”

He pulled a piece of paper from an inner pocket, writing a quick note that read,Thanks for the distraction. Let me knowwhen you’re far enough away.It disappeared with a flare of his magic.

Bash swayed on his feet, still facing the iron door. Despite the cold, his pale face shone with sweat, his jaw tightly set from the effort.

“Bash.”

“I can’t let go of this,” Bash gritted out, his teeth chattering. “It’s not going to hold without me.”

And then we would have the entirety of Aviel’s army to contend with.

“You can’t hold the door forever,” Yael exclaimed.

“Leave that to me,” Rivan said grimly, then turned to me. “You do what you need to do, my queen.”

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