Page 69 of Lucifer's Mirror
“We’ve come too far,” I say. “We have to see this through.” I have to, anyway, and unfortunately, Zayne is along for the ride. Literally.
But I think there’s more than just where we are that’s bothering him. “How are you feeling?” I ask. “No more…?” I trail off, as I’ve no idea what to call what he’s going through. Scary lizard eye episodes? He came so close to changing on that battlefield.
His face closes down. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
I’m hurt that he still won’t open up to me, but I get that he needs to process everything that’s happening. “Okay,” I say. “But when you’re ready to talk, I’m here.” I reach across and squeeze his arm. “And don’t worry, I’ll look after you. I won’t let the big bad monsters eat you.”
He snorts. “But what if I’m the big bad monster? Who’ll stop me from eating you?” Then he shrugs. “Come on, then. But just watch your back and don’t trust anyone. Not even me.”
He moves away, then hands me Stella’s reins. “Here, take your horse back. If you’ve finished snuggling up to wolf-man.”
I grin at the description, then kiss my horse’s soft, velvety nose.
Zayne is already following Thanouq, who’s heading off briskly, like he knows where he’s going—not that there are a lot of options. It’s forward or back, and I certainly don’t want to cross that mountain in darkness. So forward it is. Khaosti is behind him, not giving me a second look—maybe now that we’re inside these ward things, there’s no more danger. Wishful thinking?
I give Stella a rub on her satin neck, and we follow after them.
Dusk is falling, the light turning hazy and tinged with the encroaching night. The path widens, and a creeping green cover of grass spreads over the rocky landscape. Soon, we’re walking through a wide valley, lush with vegetation. Finally, I see the glimmer of lights up ahead, and what looks like a small village comes into view, maybe ten or so houses lining a single street.
As we walk between them, people appear and watch us silently from their open doors, their faces expressionless. At the last house, a sprawling, white-walled cottage with roses climbing over the porch, Thanouq stops, and the others follow suit. Me too.
I stare at the door. My chest tightens, and my breathing speeds up.
I finger the amber pendant, rubbing my fingertips over the smooth surface.
The door opens, and my breathing stops abruptly.
A woman appears, and some of the tension seeps out of me. She has to be the Crone. I mean, I don’t like to stereotype people, but shelookslike a crone. White hair pulled into a bun at the back of her head. Her face is lined with age, but her blue eyes are shrewd. She’s wearing a long black dress—very crone-like.
She looks first at Thanouq and smiles. “Welcome back, your highness. What have you brought me?”
Thanouq waves a hand behind him to encompass us all. “Visitors.”
Khaosti steps forward, and her eyes instantly narrow. “Well, if it isn’t the Commander of the Wolfpack. Or should I call you Prince? I’m honored.”
Commander of the Wolfpack? Prince? So Khaosti is royalty after all, and some sort of soldier. Neither surprises me, really. He moves like a fighter and has the arrogance of royalty. But honestly, she sounds anything but honored. In fact, I get the distinct impression she doesn’t like Khaosti. But he claimed he didn’t know her, so how does she know him? Maybe his reputation—which is obviously a bit dodgy—precedes him.
“What brings you to my humble abode?” she asks.
“I have something I think belongs to you.”
Is he talking about me? I don’t belong to anyone, but he’s already stepping aside.
The woman peers beyond him, and her gaze settles on me. For a second, she looks blank, then her eyes widen.
She knows me!
Chapter 33
Another Big Fat Disappointment...
TheCronestaressilentlyat me, her gaze taking me in from top to bottom and back again, as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing.
She definitely knows me. She has to. But she remains silent.
I swallow, wiping my palms down the sides of my jeans. Then I step forward and hold out my hand to her.
“I’m Amber,” I say. “Do you know me?”
