Page 88 of Sweet Nightmares
Jane didn’t know. She’d asked him to prove that he could let her make her own choices without interference until after the Winter’s Eve Ball. She asked for her freedom to do whatever she wanted for eleven days: no deals, no spying, no anchors.
“Most likely not. He’s ‘stuck’ in his mirror.”
“Well, that’s a blessing.” Emrys smiled with brightness and mirth.
It wasn’t. But Jane didn’t say anything else.
The next one to enter the room was Periwinkle, her bubblegum-pink hair bouncing with her footfalls.
Goosebumps rose on Jane’s flesh. The Mirror of Midnight always freaked her out. She talked in riddles and code and was far too clever for her own good. Jane was glad she had forced her sister to bargain with Beautiful Decay instead.
He was at the very least stable, or stable enough, and more so since Harlow had entered his life.
Speaking of the now white-haired woman, she was the next to enter the alcove with François on her heels. When her eyes fell on Periwinkle, she winced but tried to hide it under a smile.
Harlowe and Jane agreed that the pink-haired Mirror God was not to be trifled with.
“Aww, sister,” Periwinkle’s voice was coated with cherry-sweet candy—“it’s so good to see you again. My irritating baby brother here likes to keep you from me.”
“We like to keep everyone from you,” Darcy said under his breath.
Periwinkle heard the comment, wiggled her nose, and winked at him. “Ah, yes, very prudent of you twinny.”
Draven Darcy Hawthorne and Periwinkle—no one, save her brother, knew her real name—Hawthorne were ancient fraternal twins. Born over two thousand years ago.
“Shall we get started then?” Emrys said.
“By all means.” Darcy glared at him.
Jane cleared her throat to break the tension, and Harlowe slipped her fingers around her lover’s arm, calming him.
“If Nightmare were here, he’d want you to know that the tremors from the Nature district are getting stronge—”
“As important as that topic is,” Emrys cut in very much, meaning the opposite of his words. “I’d rather discuss the rumor that you found the second Blood Mirror.”
“How did you hear that?” Jane asked.
“So you aren’t denying it.” He shook his head as if disappointed, and a bit betrayed.
“How do you know?” Jane asked again, worry digging its claws into her back. No one save Nightmare should know, so the fact that he did was very bad. And more so, very dangerous:
“Oh, I might have let it slip,” Periwinkle said brightly.
Jane’s brow furrowed. “And how do you know…” She trailed off. “Oh, never mind, you’re… you.” Periwinkle was the keeper of knowledge. Of course, she would know almost everything.
“Creepy,” Harlowe said under her breath. Then she cursed and said, “Oh, for fuck’s sa—” and blinked out of existence, the last part of her sentence eaten by the wind. Every hour, for seven minutes at a time, Harlowe would randomly disappear. No one could see her or hear her. It was one of her very infamous mirror consequences. And while that consequence was a curse, it was often a blessing in disguise because, for those seven minutes, she could do anything without being noticed. Including breaking into things without setting off alarms. A valuable skill set in the Mirror Mafia.
“Ah, brilliant idea. I, too, shall disappear.” Periwinkle clapped her hands together excitedly. “The walls have ears, so it’s best to avoid their eyes, too.” Then, with what had to be wind magic, she popped out of sight.
She must have guessed Jane’s thoughts because, at her right, the other girl whispered into her ear. “Yes, I am a Wind Witch too. Technically, I am a Wood Witch, too, but I expect you to be all five types one day. When one goes through death and fire, one can be reformed. You know?”
Jane shivered. No, she definitely did not know. Jane didn’t get time to think about what that could mean because Emrys broke through, stepping toward her and growling like Nightmare often liked to do.
He boxed her in, his demeanor dark. If he were a color, he would be empty black.
“You have to tell me where it is,” Emrys Avalon said fiercely to Jane, nearly shaking her. “We need to know; it’s life and death.”
“I can’t tell you.” Jane folded her arms and stood her ground.
