Page 41 of The Eternal Mirror
I finally release her and step back. With her dark hair and golden eyes, she looks so much like Khaosti. Then again, they’re cousins. She looks well, but different from when I last saw her. I think lifeoutside the palace must suit her. The lines of strain are gone from her face.
“Should you be here?” I ask. “Isn’t it dangerous?”
“I was careful. And we have friends here.”
By “we,” I presume she means the rebels. Maybe I’m finally going to discover something—like exactly what the rebels are rebelling against. Khronus, I presume. But what do they actually want? And do they have a plan to get it? It would be nice if someone else actually had a plan, you know, to take the pressure off a little.
“How is Khaosti?” she asks.
“He’s still an asshole,” Zayne mutters, sitting back down at the table.
I cast him a dark glance. “He’s fine,” I say. “He was a little...weird for a while.” Zayne snorts but sensibly doesn’t say anything. “But he’s okay now.” Well, everything is relative, but at least he’s more “okay” than he was.
Well, that’s the pleasantries over; time to get down to business. It must be important for her to risk coming back here. “Why are you here?” I ask, deciding the direct approach is best. “I mean, it’s lovely to see you but...?”
“We heard rumors,” she says.
“You did? What about?” I can guess, and I need a drink. I glance around the room. There’s wine on the side table and glasses, so I bring them over, pour myself a glass, and gulp it down. Then I look at the other two. “You want?”
Zayne nods, and I pour him a glass, and me another. Sheela shakes her head.
I sit down, blow out my breath, and wait for her to speak.
“We heard that a black alicorn has been seen on Valandria.”
“That’s her,” Zayne says with a nod in my direction.
Sheela’s eyes widen, and she looks at me with awe. “People are saying the goddess has returned.”
“That is not me,” I say. “I am no fucking goddess. And actually, the goddess hasn’t returned because she never really went anywhere. She was just lying low.”
Her eyes widen. “You’ve seen her?”
I nod, and a look of awe flashes across her face.
“There’s more,” she says.
I bet there is.
“We heard that the last battle on Valandria was won by a dragon.”
“A dragon. Wow.” Zayne sounds impressed. I’m guessing he’s going to be pretty pissed by this next bit.
“That’s Khaosti,” I say.
“What?” He slams his glass down. “No way.” Even Josh is sitting up and watching us wide-eyed.
I smirk. “My boyfriend is awesome.”
“But how?” Sheela asks.
I shrug. “Selene gifted him with powers from Vortex to help me destroy Hell.”
“So that’s true as well?”
“Yup.” She must have spies in the palace to have heard about that. Not many people outside this little circle know. “It’s true.” I pour myself some more wine and sit back, waiting for her to get to the point.
“Khronus likes people to believe that he’s the chosen successor to the First Gods,” she begins. “And he’s convinced a lot of people. But most of what he says is twisted lies. He will do anything to stay in power.”
