Then, something else sparked in my mind. Something I’d forgotten.
“Where’s the mirror?”
“I have it,” Eira said. “It’s right here.”
“Give it to me, Eira.”
She stiffened. “What?”
“You have to trust me.”
“I trusted you before. But you turned out to beher. How do I know you aren’t Calista?”
My fingers worked their way up her shoulder until they caught a strand of her hair. Slowly, I cupped her face and brought her mouth to mine, pressing the barest of kisses against her lips. “I’m yours, Eira,” I breathed.
She trembled in my grasp, her breaths coming in sharp pants. “Blood and ice, you’realive! How? Calista—she was controlling your body. You weredead!”
Shivering bones.Calista had controlled me while I was unconscious? I hadn’t even known that was possible. “I don’t know how,” I said, “and I’m so sorry. But I need the mirrornow, Eira.”
Something cool and metal brushed against my fingers, and I clasped the handle of the mirror firmly. Without hesitation, I hurled it to the ground, and the glass shattered, the sound ringing in the vast room.
“What have you done?” Eira cried.
“Trust me!” I said again.
A deep, menacing roar exploded from the other side of the room. The ground shook, and energy swirled around me like a funnel cloud, stinging my eyes and tousling my hair. Eira shrieked in alarm. I held her against my chest again, shielding her. The wind intensified, whipping mercilessly at me until I was certain it would carry me away.
Light bled through the darkness, slowly at first. Shadows and shapes took form. Some lay motionless on the floor. Andin the center of the carnage was Calista, her skin tough and leathery, with great black wings stretched behind her back. Fangs extended from her lips, covered in blood. Her bright red eyes widened as the darkness of her magic faded. Bit by bit, the black mist receded as if being washed away by an invisible rag. In moments, the throne room was in full view once more, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the crimson blood that stained the floors.
Several bodies were strewn about, some missing limbs. Most of them were soldiers wearing the rebels’ red bandana.
But one of them I recognized. A woman with white-blonde hair.
Her head was completely severed from her body.
Stella.
Eira sank to her knees, erupting in sobs. I clutched her shoulders, my eyes fixing on Calista to see what she would do next. She whirled, her red eyes frantic as she looked around the room.
“Where is it?” she hissed. “Where is it?”
“You mean the source of your magic?” I asked. With my foot, I nudged the broken glass on the floor. “It’s gone, Calista.”
Lavinia had told me of a spell that could bind fae magic, enhancing someone’s power.If anyone were to acquire this conduit, they could destroy it and potentially disrupt the connection to your magic completely.
That was how Calista had maintained a flawless glamour all these years. She had bound her magic to the enchanted mirror. It empowered her.
But without that mirror intact, the source of her strength was gone.
Now, she was stuck in her Demon Fae form. And she wasn’t powerful enough to conjure her darkness anymore.
A noise of rage burst from Calista’s lips, her face twisting into another snarl. “Foolish boy! I don’t needmagicto slaughter everyone in this room!”
I pulled a dagger from my belt and flung it toward Calista. At the same time, she lunged. The blade barely nicked her shoulder. She screeched as she careened toward me.
But I was ready. The moment before we collided, I ducked, slamming into her abdomen. She roared as we toppled over. My fingers caught the corner of her wing and tugged. Flesh tore, and black blood oozed. Calista screamed as I pulled another dagger and rammed it into her side.
Something heavy rammed into the back of my skull—Calista’s wing perhaps? I groaned, my mind spinning as I slumped over. Calista shoved me off her, and I fell backward, my head hitting the hard floor. Stars burst in front of my eyes.
