Page 135 of The Eternal Mirror
And she’s gone.
And it’s quiet. Too quiet. Like a door slammed shut in my mind, and all the warmth drained out with it.
I hadn’t realized how much he was a part of me. The constant hum of his presence—his feelings brushing against mine, his heartbeat echoing under my skin—it's just gone.
In my dream, I throw back my head and scream, “Khaos!”
And I wake on the cold flagstones in the dark of night, a scream in my throat, my body wrenched in pain, my soul ripped in two.
I clamp my lips closed. He’s gone. And I want him.
Mine.
As the word echoes through my mind, I go still. The bond was wrapped tight around my heart. But now my heart is free.
I search inside myself.
The bond is gone, but Khaos remains in my heart.
And in that moment, I realize that my love for him is as real as anything in this world. Bond or no bond, I love him with all myheart. And I will never be free of him. And what if it’s the same for him?
Am I really such a coward?
Maybe it’s time to stop fighting myself.
Chapter 52
Unbound
“Mirror of stars and shadowed glass,
Break the veil and let me pass.
Where he walks, let me be led—
To the soul my own has bled.
No bond now ties, no fate commands—
But love still reaches, aching hands.”
Iwhisper the words and a mirror forms. Will it take me to him?
Only one way to find out.
I take a deep breath and step into...hope?
It’s nighttime here, but I know exactly where I am: in the forest clearing close to where Hecate’s village once stood on Valandria. It’s a beautiful, magical place, and whereKhaos and I made love for the first time, soon after I found out who I really was and what I had to do.
Towering trees encircle the space, their bark shimmering with a silvery luminescence, casting a soft, ghostly glow that bathes the clearing in an otherworldly radiance. The trees reach up toward the sky, their branches forming intricate, twisting patterns that create a tapestry of shadows on the forest floor. In the center of the clearing, a crystalline pool reflects the starry night sky above, its surface smooth as glass. Sitting beside it, his fingers trailing in the water, is Khaosti.
I close my eyes for a moment. I really thought I might never see him again. And he’s so beautiful: long lean muscle, golden eyes half-closed, sharp cheekbones. His lips are slightly parted, and he flicks his tongue over the silver ring in his lower lip.
My heart leaps, and a wild joy fills me.
His hand lifts, but there’s hesitation in his eyes—like he doesn’t quite believe I’m real. I walk forward, my heart beating a slow, steady rhythm.
I slip my palm into his, and suddenly I’m on my back with Khaos looming over me. He lowers his mouth to mine, and we share a deep, intoxicating kiss. He tastes so familiar—heat and spice—and my heart clenches, as though the bond is drawing tight. But I know it’s just us.
