Page 59 of Turret

Before I could explain, the mirror in the corridor flickered before Mother’s form appeared in the glass, her expression hardened with fury but her eyes wide and desperate. “Because the foolish girl is determined to ruin her last chance.”

At the sound of her voice, Quinn startled. “Your Mother is here?” He whisked his head around to search the corridors.

“She’s in the mirror.” I didn’t offer any further explanation, but he didn’t seem concerned with thewhy, only that I was safe. His arms tightened around me protectively.

Mother’s gaze took in the way Quinn clung to me. “I see how much you care for him, so let me remind you: if you destroy me, there will be no way to ever help your precious love. Can you truly live with yourself if you condemn him to a life of darkness?”

I hesitated, for it was much harder to make that choice when I was cozily encased in Quinn’s arms, a sweet reminder of my feelings for him.

He stiffened. “What does she mean, Gemma?”

Mother’s smirk curled upwards. “We’ve made a deal. If she frees me, I’ll cure your blindness…but it seems she doesn’t care for you as much as she thought, for she’s backed out.”

Brow furrowed, Quinn turned his unseeing eyes to me. “Is that true?”

I couldn’t answer, both ashamed by the bargain I’d struck and my inability to fulfill it. I lowered my eyes. “I’m sorry.”

I half-expected him to pull away at my betrayal—indeed, the dark look filling Mother’s eyes confirmed she hoped for that very thing—but instead, his arms only tightened around me.

“Knowing Her Majesty, such help would only come at a horrible price, one you mustn’t pay.” He took a steadying breath. “You must break the mirror. Don’t worry about me. Nothing fromheris worth compromising what’s right.”

Despite his encouragement, it took a long moment for me to regather my resolve and turn back to face Mother, whose expression had become almost…wild. “He’s right. Even his sight isn’t worth the harm you’d cause if free.”

Her desperation escalated. “Then I will forgo my plans and help him without conditions. Just…don’t break the mirrors. If you do…I’ll never be free.”

I stilled, the desire to help Quinn too powerful to immediately dismiss her proposal, but he showed no hesitation. He fumbled for the stone clutched in my grip before pulling away and hobbled towards the wall. He only paused to find the mirror with his hand before he was the one to break it, causing Mother to disappear from the glass with another shriek.

Panting, he turned to face me. “How many are left?”

The sound of breaking glass shattered the spell Mother had been trying to weave over me. “Just the mirror room.” I took the stone from him. “But you’re in no state to accompany me. You stay here; I’ll be back shortly.”

I strode away before he could protest. I had no doubt he’d follow, but he wouldn’t be quick enough to join me. Because of the visions the mirror room had often shown me, I suspected it was where Mother syphoned her magic, making it the most important place to break the mirrors.

Mother was waiting for me, her image reflected in every mirror so that I was surrounded by her hardened fury. “Stop, Gemma, you can’t do this. I’m your mother.”

I broke the mirror directly beside me, then the next, ignoring her pleas that accompanied each shatter of the glass. Due to the quantity of mirrors it took some time, but eventually I broke the last one, getting one final glimpse of Mother’s red lips and wide, frightened eyes before the mirror shattered at my feet.

For a long moment I simply stood there, breathing heavily, before my adrenaline slowly faded, replaced by a sense of victory. I’d done it. I’d lived up to my title as a princess and protected the kingdoms. It was over.

I turned to leave but stilled when I saw that the door had vanished. My heart leapt to my throat, but before my panic could fully settle in, blinding light filled the chamber. It reflected off the broken shards of glass and scattered in fragments around the room…accompanied by a cold, triumphant laugh.

The light slowly faded to reveal…the stone slipped from my fingers. Mother stood smirking midst the broken shards, free from the mirror.

Chapter 23

Istared at Mother in horror, blinking rapidly, as if the act of shutting my eyes would make her disappear. But there she stood triumphantly, even as I tried to process what had just happened.

My heart pounded wildly as I watched as Mother turned victoriously towards one of the broken mirrors. She posed at various angles as she admired herself, the shattered glass multiplying her taunting smirks, each one a painful reminder of what I’d just done.

The shock was slowly fading, allowing a range of other emotions to overcome me—horror at Mother’s freedom, fear for what it’d mean, and guilt for my contribution, no matter how unwilling an accomplice I’d been.

Her eyes met my horrified gaze in one of the broken shards of glass and her coy smile widened. “Thank you for your cooperation. Breaking the mirrors in this room was the very help I needed.”

My stomach sank. “I…don’t understand. How—”

I was still too shocked and confused to properly formulate my question. How could she be free after I’d broken her connection to the tower? I’d been certain it’d thwart her, especially with how horrified she’d been when I’d begun breaking the mirrors.

The answer quickly became clear: her horror had been a charade, tricking me into believing I was on the right path as a means to persuade me into continuing down it.

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