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I shivered, then swore under my breath. I wasn’t alone. And he wasn’t the one setting the trap this time. I forced myself to meet his fiery gaze. Tried to think of something clever to say. Couldn’t. Mouth too dry, anyhow.
“I think this is what you came for, isn’t it, pretty little deer?” His voice was quieter now, low and gentle. “If you really wanted to leave, you’d already be gone.”
My heartbeat skipped at the truth of it. Truth I hadn’t even realized—but he was right. Even running from him, I hadn’t wanted to leave this place alive. Part of me always wished for an end; not an end to myself, but just to the constant fear, the frazzled nerves, the fucking nightmares. I’d wanted it so often, it was just background noise to me.
But hearing someone else say it, knowing it was true… That was another thing entirely.
I still didn’t want to leave, now. But I did want to live.
“So, if you don’t want to run this time, that’s okay. I’ll even make it easy on you, just because you’re such a sweet little thing,” he cooed.
I shifted from foot to foot, wanting to spring down the stairs as his hulking form filled an archway not fifteen feet from where I stood. Met his gaze and hoped I looked eager.
He smiled, those white, flashing teeth too large and bright. “That’s right, boy. You just wait for me there. And if you behave, I’ll leave right after you I have you and leave your granny alone. I’ll be so full of you, I won’t need her. Not today.”
“Wow,” I croaked, throat aching. “Thanks.”
“There’s a good boy.” He bent his knees, thighs threatening to explode out of his ripped khakis.
The crow flapped and cawed, sudden and sharp.
I leapt into the stairway. The magical fires were out, but I’d practiced this jump—and yet, I landed with my heels at the edge of a worn stone step. I slid off and onto my ass so hard, it felt like my spine shoved up into my neck. My ribs screamed.
The light from above, barely penetrating anyhow, went dark. Wulfric’s shadow as he followed, only five steps behind.
No more thoughts, no more pain; I launched myself forward again, this time full force. The mirror lay at the foot of the stairs, fully activated and faintly glittery in the dark. Somehow, I sailed over it, then landed in a pile on the other side, the shock shooting up my shins. I fell forward, narrowly catching myself with one hand instead of my face. Twisted around to look back—
Wulfric was halfway through the portal, his legs missing. He gave a bloodcurdling howl of rage, but it was cut off as the rest of him disappeared into the mirror.
Jack emerged from the darkness, axe flashing, and waved a hand over the mirror. It went black again. Jack lifted his axe over his head, then brought it down with a grunt of effort. The mirror shattered.
Some force exploded out from the mirror, knocking me backward. I hit the wall, all the breath leaving my body at once. When I shook my head and looked around, even Jack was on his ass, his axe at his feet, looking at the busted portal in surprise. I sucked in air once I could, then again and again, until I was sure I wasn’t dying. Jack crawled onto his hands and knees, coming toward me.
“I’m okay,” I huffed. “Are you?”
“Fine.” He scrabbled faster over the stones.
The magical firelight flared in the stairs and Amma’s tiny form came flying down.
“Careful!” Jack shouted. “Shards everywhere!”
Amma stopped dead at the bottom step, looking down at the broken mirror. She collapsed into a sit, just staring, shaking her head.
Jack reached me finally and held out his hands. I took them, and he gathered me into his arms. I burrowed my face into his neck and wrapped both arms around it. I didn’t want to ruin the moment, but I had to ask, “What if he finds another portal? What if he comes back?”
“Then we do it again.”
“Shame,” Amma said with a sigh.
I looked up, surprised.
“Was a beautiful portal.” She grimaced. “Ah, well. There’s more to find, I’m sure.”
“Your grandmother is just as scary as any witch,” Jack informed me in a whisper. “She’ll do just fine here.”
And yeah. Yeah, she would.
Part IV: Jack
