She kisses my head and takes a deep breath. “I’ve spoken at length with Archer.”
My heart stops. “How did it go? What did he learn last night? Wait, he didn’t place the mirror yet.” I glance over at it, noticing my tears drying on the glass.
“He is to place it shortly. I have returned to retrieve it for him.” Inod as she strokes her hand along my hair. “They remain hopeful of finding you before evening falls, Shadow.”
I nod again, knowing that this would have been the case anyway. I know they’re desperate for me.
“Might we consider a slight revision to our plan?” she asks, avoiding my eye contact.
I pull back slightly from her embrace, tightening the blanket around my body again as I scrunch my brows together.
“What do we need to revise? We’ve got it all figured out, I thought. Archer is going to set up the mirror in one of the rooms where the ritual happens. He’s going to shatter the mirror with Priest Brown in line with it, the demon will be sucked into the portal, and then the priest will die in the process. That’s the plan, Milly. Isn’t it kind of dangerous to change it at the last minute?”
She glances back at me as her eyes fill with slight tears. “There are far too many opportunities for error,” she states.
“Well—” She shakes her head at me, my words falling short at her seriousness.
“I must assist Archer.”
I startle back. “What? Why are we changing things now?” I panic, my breaths rushing in and out of my lungs.
“Archer and I had the opportunity to speak candidly. The affections between you and me carry with them a threat of harm. They obscure our better judgment, Shadow. I shall not endanger your life. You must take your leave.” She lifts her chin and crosses her arms around her waist, creating a shield with her body.
My jaw drops, and I step back, my legs hitting the couch as I sit down. “What is going on, Milly? Where do you want me to go? How can you expect me to leave you? I can’t leave you?—”
Her eyes flare with alarm, and she rushes toward me, placing both hands gently on the sides of my cheeks. “Your love shall never be forsaken by me, nor would I ask you to forsake yours.”
She sits down next to me and keeps holding my face, making sure I maintain eye contact with her. But I feel my heart breaking at what she’s insinuating, unable to understand the actual reasoning behind it all.
“I request you leave this campus, Shadow.”
“What? No way! I’m a part of this now just as much as you are.”
She nods, becoming frenzied in her expressions. “All the more reason for you to depart. I cannot risk your well-being. You must flee at once. Return to me in two days’ time,” she begs me.
Her eyes look at me, studying every detail of my face as if it may be the last time she ever sees it.
I shake my head out of her hands. “Absolutely not! What if you’re not here when I come back? I can’t leave you here alone. I love you. I refuse to go, Mildred. Irefuse.”
Her eyes fill with tears as she leans in and places a soft kiss against my lips. I return the kiss, closing my eyes as my own tears begin to fall, mixing with hers.
I pull away. “Milly, stop. You’re scaring me.” Her tears sparkle subtly as she kisses me one more time. She leans back and pulls out the pin from Bea, placing it on the blanket before moving her hands onto my shoulders.
“Pray, forgive me, my shadow.”
“Milly, no. Stop—” She closes her eyes and starts whispering words as the room begins to swirl in true shadows. The perfect mixture of darkness and light, swirls of rainbow and black holes, a cacophony of noises so loud they become silence.
“Remain with Bea, Shadow. Keep yourselves tucked away until two days have come and gone.” She rushes out before raising her voice once more, casting what must be a transportation spell. Her eyes are glowing brightly alongside her body, a magnificent beauty if it didn’t mean she was wasting power to send me away.
“Milly! What are you doing?” I shout as the shadows overtake everysingle one of my senses, drowning me in an abyss of silence and removing the comfort of her touch on my shoulders.
I can’t feel her anymore.
“MILLY!” I scream again and again as my body starts to feel dizzy. I panic, gasping for air while I spin endlessly, drowning in everything and nothing all at once, when all my senses abruptly return.
I blink my eyes open as I wobble on my feet, finding myself in my best friend’s apartment. I stand there naked, wrapped in just a blanket, locking eyes with Bea as her jaw drops.
Chapter 30
