Page 88 of Blood of the Fairest

Chains rattle in the darkness. His voice is pure warning.

"I've transfigured fools into pisspots for less impudence. Go vex someone else."

"I would, except I've yet to hear you say you're not ashamed for torturing Verena," I hazard pointing out. "That must mean something."

As much as I would rather not help her find a way home, I wonder what the guilt of a faerie could do to aid my plight in keeping her here. If he does know a way to send her back, perhaps I can direct her attention elsewhere.

"How very mortal of you, to search for meaning where there is only lack." More clanking, and then something drags across stone. "I suppose that transmigrated soul must have sent you."

"She thought you might know of a way she could return to her world."

Malivant is quiet for long enough that my hopes start to rise.

"Unless even a faerie like you thinks there is no way for Verena to leave. If that's the case—" I begin, already turning away from the puddle as I fight a smile.

"Tell her that I shall make a deal with her. If she breaks Reinhilde's deplorable curse and frees me, I'll send her soul back to the world in which she belongs."

Something caves deep within me as I turn back to the puddle. It's impossible to keep the unhappy dread out of my voice.

"You truly have the power to send her back?"

There is a pause before Malivant's dry laugh scrapes through the balmy air of this dilapidated prison.

"Now I understand why you've really come. What a miserable half-existence you lead. Yearning for another is such a pointless form of torture, let alone from within a glass cage."

I glower at the water's reflection still dancing on the ceiling. There is no trace of my presence there, either.

He's right that I lead a half-existence at best, but…

"I won't be in here forever."

"Ah, yes. False hope, the truest form of torture. I almost wonder who you crossed once upon a time to be stuck as you are now," the faerie muses before making a nonchalant sound. "Anyway, I assume you won't tell the otherworlder of the deal I'm offering, since you've deluded yourself into believing she would ever choose to stay for you. No matter. I'll find a way to speak to her myself, so leave."

Malivant's savage words and his quick dismissal send something blistering through me. I can't pinpoint what it is until he laughs again, the sound anything but humorous.

"So this is what the wrath of a fading soul feels like. So weak. Were I mortal, I'd pity you."

I nearly retort many things, but I bite my tongue.

Not out of respect. Not out of fear, either, even though faeries are terrible beings with many abilities and Malivant may genuinely be capable of hurting me in the mirror realm.

No, I say nothing because Verena is waiting for me to return.

Verena, who may receive some magical message from this prick at any moment about a magical deal to send her home. If she is going to leave soon, I won't waste what time I may have left with her lurking near this miserable ass.

Without another word to the Thirteenth Faerie, I turn and move swiftly back through the mirror realm. As usual, this dark, window-flecked nothingness is both peaceful and chilling.

When Reinhilde held me captive, it was the most I could long for—this total freedom to go wherever I wished to observe the fascinating physical world. My nonexistence was much less noticeable when I distracted myself by observing others' lives.

Now, the idea of aimlessly wandering this place to peer at endless faces, never seeing Verena's bright smile again or rolling my eyes at her many references to her world…

Crones, how am I supposed to endure that?

I move faster, ignoring any whispers that reach my ears from hundreds of reflections I pass. Some time later, I finally stop at my mirror in the queen's chambers.

She's not in here, though.

"Verena?" I check, in case she's in the garderobe.