Page 25 of The Eternal Mirror
Shock flashes across his face. “You’re fucking kidding me?”
“No. It’s the truth. The portals to Hell are closed. They go nowhere.”
“How the fuck do you know that?”
I open my mouth to answer when I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. The other two are drawing closer. The man has dropped the rifle to his side and is holding it loosely, but the girl still holds her pistol out in front of her as if she sees me as a threat.
“There was nothing last night,” the man says. He’s blond and looks young, maybe around twenty. “For the first time in weeks. Maybe he knows something we don’t.”
I know fucking masses that they don’t, but I keep my mouth shut.
Killian looks me in the eyes. “If you do, then now would be a good time to tell us.”
“I know that Hell no longer exists. Because I was there when Amber destroyed it.”
He shoves the pistol into a holster at his thigh. “You're going to have to explain that.” He looks at the other two and gives a small nod. “You’d better come in.” He waves a hand toward the house.
“I have a friend in the car,” I say. “Just let me get him.”
“A friend you can vouch for?”
I shrug. “As much as I can vouch for myself.”
Without waiting for another response, I cross over to the truck and open the door. I stretch out my arm, and Grimlet crawls onto my shoulder.
“What the fuck is that?” says the second man.
Grimlet vibrates with a growl and I speak before he can start throwing things. “This is Grimlet. He's a good friend of Amber’s. And mine.”
Killian stares at us both for a few seconds longer, then shakes his head, turns, and strides toward the log cabin. The lights come on as we approach, revealing wooden steps leading up to a wraparound porch. I follow him up and through the big wooden door into a hallway. I sense the others coming behind us, and the door shuts.
For a moment, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing. It’s not in my nature to trust strangers. But I’m here now.
We walk down the hallway, through another door, and into a big kitchen. I move to the far wall and turn so I can see everyone. I don’t like having people behind me.
“So,” Killian says, “you clearly know who we are. Perhaps you could introduce yourself.”
“My name is Khaosti,” I say. “And I’m a friend of Amber’s.”
“So you say,” the younger man mutters. “But do you have any proof?”
I want to snarl that she’s my mate. We are bonded forever. But I don’t. I keep quiet about that. Maybe later. “You’ll just have to believe me.”
“Or not.”
“But whoareyou?” the girl asks. “How do you know Amber? Is what you said about Hell true? How did it happen?”
Killian holds up his hand. “That’s a lot of questions. Perhaps we can sit down.”
Grimlet tugs on my hair. “Do you have food?” I ask.
“I don’t see why not. What does your—” he looks at Grimlet, “—friend eat?”
I shrug. “I don’t actually know. Try him with anything. It’s going to be an experiment.”
“He’s your friend and you don’t know?” The second man sounds suspicious. I don’t think he likes me. I’m used to it.
“We only met recently,” I reply.
