Page 22 of Nightmare's Dance

“Your knight? We sent him to keep you safe. He’s done his job.”

“He’s… he’s my friend.”

“Good. It would have been much more difficult to stay close to you if he hadn’t become your friend.”

Nic seemed to think that was it, but despite the complicated emotions bouncing around in my chest, I wasn’t giving up on the idea of rescuing Geraint.

“We need to rescue him. If they didn’t kill him after I escaped.”

Nic frowned, but dozens of creepy voices echoing around the cabin cut off whatever reply he intended.

“Nic,” the female voice repeated.

I whimpered, but Nic stood and hurried to the mirror.

“Mary?”

When Nic didn’t seem alarmed at the voice despite his tense shoulders and narrowed eyes, I forced myself to my feet and went to his side. The shattered mirror showed dozens of the same terrifying visage that had opened the arch for us back on Earth ages ago.

“They come,” dozens of her said from the mirror, giving her voice a creepy echo.

He spun around, looking toward the door.

“You cannot get caught,” she continued. “Nic, you must leave the princess and flee.”

I clutched my arms and rocked on my heels. I couldn’t go back. “Can’t the mirror be fixed?”

Nic turned back and studied me before glancing at the dozens of Marys in the mirror.

“I do not have the power to fix the mirror,” he said. “You’re welcome to try.”

“Me?”

“You are the Princess of Nightmare. It’s possible you can repair the arch where I cannot.”

“But—”

“You must escape, Nic,” the Marys said again.

“I’m not leaving Ember.”

“You know, I don’t remember Baz being such a douche canoe. Hell, I recognized you almost immediately, and I still can’t imagine any connection between present day Baz and the kid I used to play with. Where’s Dio?” My thoughts strayed to my third playmate.

“We don’t know, and no, Baz wasn’t like this until about ten years ago.”

“You are surrounded,” the Marys hissed.

“Fix the mirror, Princess,” Nic ordered.

“We’re going to talk about this Princess thing,” I muttered as I studied the shattered glass, trying to ignore the terrifying woman staring back at me. I’d been able to command the shadow. Maybe this was the same thing?

“Is it okay if I touch it?” I asked Mary.

She nodded and retreated deeper into the mirror, disappearing from the smaller fragments, and looking quite distant in the pieces she still appeared in.

How a flat piece of glass with silver backing could have depth, I didn’t know, but I’d already walked through one of these things, so really, I wasn’t going to question anything right now.

Hounds bayed in the distance, and chills goose-bumped my skin.

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