Waiting.
Worrying.
Finally, the door opened and Wanda coolly gazed down at me with an apathetic grin.
“Are you ready?”I asked, the anxiety festering once more.
“Are you?”she drawled as she stepped aside, giving me space to walk in.
I swallowed harshly.
With the time difference, Wanda had said that if we left after dinner, we’d have enough time to slide through theCavernous Cove, which was theTír fo Thuinnequivalent of the Forest of Lir.And according to Wanda, if we could keep our wits about us, we could slide through toTír fo Thuinnand leave before anyone would actually notice, which was what I was counting on.
“Of course.I just want us to get this over with,” I said, because it was true.Ididwant to get this over with.
I wanted to get through what felt like a gigantic lie.
But I assured myself all would be worth it once I’d ascended and made that final transition.
The ends justified the means.
“That makes two of us,” Wanda said as she shut the door.
Realistically, we could have used the mirror in my room, but I felt weird about doing such a thing because my bedroom was sacred.I didn’t want Wanda in the space I’d shared with Bane.Some things I wanted to keep to myself, private, as they should be.
Mirrors were how I got myself into this predicament in the first place.It was not lost on me that I started my journey following Wanda through a mirror, and it seemed I was finalizing that journey much in the way it started.
“Now, hold on tight,Princess,” she said, and I did not think twice about wrapping my arms around her waist.
I noticed, pressed against her, she smelled like citrus and sea salt, and it was a most soothing smell.Her body was warm, not cold like I would expect from a water-based creature.Her nails traced over my back, making me nearly jump as we walked through the mirror.
The first thing I noticed aboutTír fo Thuinnwas the color.Everything was in shades of blue and green, bespeckled with ivory and cream and adornments of bright plumerias.
It was hot, but comfortable.The plant life was vibrant and green; large monstera ferns and orchids surrounded us, and it was then I realized we were in the middle of a...forest?
Only it did not look like the forest I was used to.It was like it was underwater, but there was no actual water, just the ever present aesthetic of aquatic and tropical foliage.
“Wow...”I gasped, breaking free from Wanda.The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the forest.“Where are we?—”
“We are about twenty minutes from the Cove,” she said, her voice even.
“So this is where you are from?”I asked, walking quickly after her because Wanda did not wait foranyone.
Well, perhaps there was one person she waited for...or one monster, rather.
“Yes,” she bit.
I looked up at the sky, noting it was not dark yet, but rather the sun was setting.
“And how do we get there?”I asked.“On foot or?—”
The faintest thrum of whirring magic alerted both of us.Though we’d traveled alone, and mirror travel was still popular among most, we’d picked a location that was outside of our target for a reason.The less anyone saw me, even with a glamour, the better.I did not need witnesses or any sort of inconvenience.
I needed this to be as smooth a process as possible.Get in, bask in theArdaimand complete my transition, and get back to the castle before anyone knew I was missing.Specifically, Bane.
“You swim, of course,” Norman’s voice cut through the warm air.
Wanda and I spun around on our heels, and before I could open my mouth, she did.
