He halts and turns to face me. “Very well, Daphne Stone. I am Eron,” he says, gesturing grandly at the surrounding landscape. It’s all strange—endless rolling hills made of mirrored surfaces that reflect the sky like a patchwork quilt of light.
He strides off confidently, his coattails fluttering behind him like he’s the star of his own play. I trail after him, trying not to trip on the strangely slick ground. Spoiler: I fail. Twice.
After what feels like an eternity of listening to Eron alternately brag about his wit and hum tunelessly, we crest a hill. Below us stands a gleaming castle made entirely of mirrors, its spires piercing the sky like shards of crystal. The reflection of the landscape dances across its surface, giving it an almost liquid appearance.
“Welcome,” Eron says grandly, “to my humble abode.”
“Humble?” I echo, raising an eyebrow. This must be like the Hallows Palace, where mirror folks hang around when they aren’t giving false compliments about being the most fair.
“Fine,” he relents with a dramatic sigh. “Welcome to the Grand Glimmering Seat of Eron, King of the Land of Reflection.” He gives a mock bow, straightens, and grins. “Yes, yes, I know. You’re in the presence of royalty. Try to contain your awe.”
I shake my head. Aww, he thinks he’s a king. I’m not about to burst his bubble.
“Surprised?” he asks, smirking. “Don’t worry, it’s a common reaction. I rule with wit, wisdom, and…” He pauses, tapping his chin. “Well, mostly wit. The wisdom comes and goes, to be honest.”
We trudge down the hill where we meet and pass many mirror folks who whisper excitedly behind their hands. I guessit’s not every diurnal they see a maiden brandishing a giant glowing fork strolling through the land.
Eron pays them no mind. Instead, he forges a confident path through the stares straight through the arched doorway of the castle, through a magnificent hall, and into an enormous room. In the center is a raised platform with a majestic crystal throne, and behind it, a massive mirror ten times larger than the one I came through, except this one has been shattered and pieced back together, although on closer inspection, I notice several missing shards.
“An ancient betrayal,” Eron says, his voice quieter now. “The mirror was once whole, as was I. Without the shards, I’m… not entirely myself. Thoughts slip away. Memories tangle. Sometimes, I forget who I am.”
My heart squeezes in my chest, and something settles in my veins. “Once this is done, and I have found my way out of this legend, I will help you find those missing shards,” I vow.
He looks at me, his silver eyes suddenly serious. The vulnerability vanishes as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual grin. “Excellent! But first, tea. Or possibly cake. Or both. Royal decrees are hard work, you know.”
Where is the actual king, and would he be happy that my mirror man is impersonating him?
“Did you know while sponge cake is light and therefore you can fit more inside your belly, fruit cake is heavier but you can also eat the same volume?” he explains. “I am partial to a classic sponge with a frost fruit twist myself.”
This is why Eron is my mirror man. I’m in an unfamiliar land, and we are debating the merits of cake.
“I would love to talk cake with you,” I say as he slides himself onto the throne. I glance around, waiting for the guards to come and drag him from the chair he falsely sits on. Nothing happens.Must be a lax security diurnal. I wave the trident in front of me. “But first I would like to exchange this.”
Eron’s eyes widen like he’s seeing it for the first time. “Of course, my lady fair. How rude of me.”
“That’s okay. You had a lot going on.” Like walking and bragging.
He claps his hands. The giant doors to the left of the room fling open, and in strides Poseidon, my sword clutched in his left hand while his hard eyes flick to Eron.
“King Eron, I do not enjoy being kept waiting,” Poseidon snaps.
Wait, what? My mouth drops open as I absorb an Idol recognizing Eron as a king. The women hanging around at the open door giggle as they take in Eron and Poseidon, a look of longing in their eyes for either or both males.
Guards flood the room, edging the walls, and as one, drop to one knee and hold their hand over their hearts. “King Eron, you have returned,” one of them says as he stops in front of my mirror man.
My mirror man is a king.Oh, holy Idol balls.My mirror man is an honest to Idols king.
The implications shatter my previous understanding of everything. My world shifts, the ground beneath me trembling with untold possibilities as questions race through my mind. What does Eron’s kingship mean for us? Are we on the verge of something monumental, or are we teetering on the edge of chaos? As the guards rise, the tension crackles in the air, and I know deep within that the path we’re about to tread could unravel everything. My heart pounds. This is only the beginning, and I am desperate to uncover what fate has in store for us next.
Chapter
Thirty
“King?” I choke out. “Wait, you’re telling me my faithful mirror man is royalty?”
Eron produces an adorable blush. The guards stand and take up station around the room. Holy Idol babies, there’s enough maleness in here to make a maiden faint. Luckily, I am immune to their charms and muscles, because no one could ever live up to my knights.
“I suppose you could say I have responsibilities. But right now, we need to focus on the deal, don’t we?” He glances at Poseidon, who wields Excalibur like he’s attempting to put any knight to shame.
