Page 27 of The Eternal Mirror
Killian gets up, goes to the fridge, and hands out more beers. He sits back down. “So, what about Amber? Is she alive? Where is she?”
“Yes, she’s alive. She’s on Astrali.”
“That’s your world, right? Where you come from?”
“Yes.”
“So why aren’t you there with her?”
Gods, it’s complicated. How much do I want to tell? Part of me wants to say it’s none of their business. Part of me wants to order them to help me. That’s what I’m used to. I give orders, and they’re obeyed. But I’m not sure that would work here. I could force them, but they would hardly be of much use. I need them to want to help.
“We got back to Valandria after Hell was destroyed, and we found out that—” I hesitate about mentioning my connection to Khronus, but I think I have to. “We found that my father had kidnapped Zayne and Josh to force Amber to give herself up to him.”
“Your father? Who’s your father?”
I give a little shrug. “He’s the king of the Astralis.”
Killian raises an eyebrow. “So that makes you a prince?”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” I say. “The important thing is—my father’s a ruthless bastard. And now he holds Amber, Zayne, and Josh.”
“So why didn’t you go with her? Couldn’t you put in a word with your father?”
“My father doesn’t believe in me any longer. He thinks—quite rightly—that my loyalties lie elsewhere. Amber went without me because she knows he’ll kill me on sight this time.” I feel the mating bond tighten around my heart. “I have to get her back. There are no other options.”
“And now to the important bit,” Killian says. “What are you doing here? What do you want from us?”
I give him a shrug. “It was Amber’s idea. She said that now the shadowguard are no more, you might be interested in something else to do—that you could perhaps help me.”
“You’re a prince,” Jack says, almost sneering the word. “Don’t you have lots of people who can help you with your problems?”
“Right now, I don’t trust anyone in Astrali. Everyone fears my father. They won’t risk going against him.”
“But you think we can help?” Killian asks.
“I don’t know. But Amber believed you could. I have to get back to Astrali, and I don’t know what I will face once I’m there. Someone to watch my back would be good, and so here I am.” They look skeptical, and I don’t blame them. It’s a lot to take in. “Amber saved your world,” I say. “She saved all our worlds, probably. Lucifer was growing in power. He would have defeated my father eventually. And all the worlds would have descended into darkness and chaos. You’re safe now because of Amber.”
“And so you want us to walk straight back into danger?” Laura says.
I stare into her eyes. “Yes.”
Then I look at Killian for an answer.
“It’s not only my decision to make. And we have to be sure that the shadowguard really are no more. Give us some time.”
I don’t have time. “I can’t leave her there. My father is evil. And I don’t know what he plans to do.” It’s true—I don’t understand what his endgame is. He’s king. He’s all-powerful. What does he actually want? My time away from Astrali has opened my eyes to so many things. I grew up believing everything he told us was the truth. But now I know so much of it was lies. He lied about the shadowguard. He lied about the origin of Lucifer. What else has he lied about? There’s something going on in Astrali. Something dark. And I need to get to the bottom of it. And then maybe—I can save Amber. Maybe I can save us all.
“I’ll give you till morning,” I say. “And then I need to know, one way or the other.”
Then I have to go home and face my father.
And if I face him alone, so be it.
Chapter 10
Not Your Average Delusions of Grandeur
Ididn’t manage to sleep again after my dream of Khaosti.
