Page 24 of The Mirror in the Mountain

My heart sank as I realized I had left Bash with only my tumult of emotions after my struggle with Aviel. Cursing under my breath for not thinking about sending an update sooner, I stopped to jot a message on my blood-stained palm.

I’m safe. I got away. Don’t go near Soleara, they’re searching for me.

His relief was palpable, airy, yet almost painfully hesitant through our bond.

Hellion, I’m going to need more than that. Where can I find you?

I glanced up at my companions, who were watching the exchange curiously.

“That’s new,” Pari said dryly. “A magic I haven’t seen before.”

“Myanima,” I explained. “Bash.”

“The Southern King,” Akino said, without a hint of surprise.

I watched as his lanky scrawl faded from my hand. “He wants to know where to meet me.”

As we rounded the corner, the narrow tunnel suddenly gave way to a vast cavern. Its walls were adorned with the same gleaming blue stone that I remembered from my escape from Morehaven, its soft blueish hue bright enough that I could see almost the entirety of the massive space, even in the gloom. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like the jagged teeth of some ancient beast, casting distorted shadows on the ground below.

My adrenaline was fading, my injuries flaring with renewed strength, and I stumbled, breathing hard. Pari gripped my arm tighter. She obviously had already realized how hurt I was, our frantic pace having long since slowed to a crawl.

“Tell Tobias our gate will be open to them as soon as we can,” Thorin said, taking my other elbow. “He knows the way.”

I relayed the information as succinctly as I could. “Andwhereexactly are we going?”

The three exchanged slight grins.

“The North has been an Allied stronghold ever since the beginning of the war,” Thorin said matter-of-factly. “The False King’s supporters never gained a foothold here because we have long been wary of outsiders, our people hidden away even before the war began…though that hasn’t always been to our benefit. While the castle has wards to keep unwanted visitors away, the city itself is protected both through magic and—well, you’ll see in a moment.”

We had reached two gigantic wooden doors hewn directly into the rock of the earth itself. They swung open with a groan of hinges as though they were expecting us, and I squinted into the sudden light after being underground so long. We were inside an enormous crater, and I realized with a start that I could see the tip of the mountain’s majestic blue-gray peak not very farabove us. A wispy cloud blew past the edge of the chasm, briefly obscuring the summit from view.

Colorful buildings nestled into the rocky mountainside painted a vibrant scene against the rugged backdrop, their lustrous copper roofs gleaming in the sunlight streaming through the clouds. My gaze was drawn to a towering wooden house with intricate copper accents built by a substantial natural lake. Despite the biting chill in the air, the lake remained unfrozen. Steam rose from its surface, and I realized it must be a hot spring.

An entire city—a hidden oasis—was built into the mountain. No wonder we had walked so far uphill.

It all seemed so familiar, so much so that it somehow immediately felt like home. Sometimes it seemed odd how quickly I had gotten used to this realm, like I was never meant for the other one. But this renewed sense of belonging was on a deeper level, as if I had always been meant to be right here.

Pari laughed delightedly, and I realized my mouth had fallen open.

“Soleara has always been here,” Pari said with a knowing smile. “The castle is just a figurehead. The whereabouts of our people have long been a mystery to outsiders, as we have kept the secret of this location for generations. Only a chosen few were allowed inside our sacred mountain.” I didn’t miss her frown at that. “When the False King targeted you, your parents bound the castle so it could only be entered by their blood before they spirited you and your brother away to the mortal realm. That magic made the rest of Agadot forget about us as our people stayed here in our hidden kingdom. Though our spies and soldiers found ways to be useful to the resistance effort.”

We slowly walked forward through the cobblestone streets. I leaned heavily on Pari and Thorin, unabashedly using them to remain upright, my feet dragging with every step.

“When the False King tricked the realm into believing his son had vanquished him, we remained here, working against him,” Akeno added. “Trying to buy you and your brother time to come into your power as we waited for your family’s return. But after the loss of your parents, we were unable to find you with the protections guarding you until your brother showed up in our realm.”

We came to a stop in front of the giant wooden house, and I let out a weary sigh of relief.

“There’s a healer already waiting for you,” Akeno said with a smile.

“And there’s a mirror here? A gate?”

They all nodded.

“While most mirror to get here, those tunnels are an ancient trail system some say are as old as the mountain itself.” Pari cocked her head to the side. “Perhaps it knew they would one day be needed to save you.”

Chapter 14

Adrian

---