Mirrors ✔️

Chapter 10: Rebel

Valarie

I follow him without protest, keeping a small, compliant smile on my face as I wait for him to slip up. Everyone does. I am his first mistake.

There isn't any blood, not down this small, dusty corridor. Intead, there is ice, slowly creeping up the walls. Beautiful, lying, deadly. Coming closer. Creeping up my arms, my legs, my chest. Leaving us trapped, waiting for someone to swing a hammer at us and shatter the illusion. Pretty illusions. Pretty, pretty, pretty. Easily breakable. I am a million glittering pieces.

But am I stone now, or glass?

I wonder what the boy ahead is. A breakable sculpture, or a marble statue?

It matters not. Marble cracks, too. It just takes more pressure.

Because how, exactly, does he know what I plan to do? Why is he taking this chance? It wouldn't be on a mere guess. No, there is a reason the Midnight Star has stayed alive all this time despite the King's efforts to exterminate it.

What does this boy know?

**************

We've almost reached the end of the hall, and I do my best to appear put together. When he turns to face me, I can see his eyes clearly for the first time. Ice blue, with the subtlest hint of light green. It's disconcerting, and for a second I forget why I'm here. But I shake myself out of it and stride past him to gaze into-the sunlight?

"We're in the wrong place." I inform him sharply, tossing my knotted hair back over my shoulders as I take another step forward. "Where are we?"

"You didn't notice?" It might just be me, but the boy seems to be suppressing a laugh. "We were underground most of the time."

I hadn't noticed, but I'm not about to tell him that. How could he know my own castle better than myself? "Well. Take me back right now. I have something to finish."

He turns serious. "Don't you understand? You'll never get close enough to him to inflict damage. I only got to you by chance. Otherwise, we'd never have found you-"

"It was quite easy for me to let myself out." I interrupt. "I'll be going now."

He snags my arm, trying to stop me, and I hiss at him. "Don't. Interfere. Rebel boy."

"Princess-"

"I'm no princess. Let go!" I bite his arm, and he loosens his grip, shocked. I assume you didn't expect THAT.

I actually feel like I've been quite civilized up until now, but he's pushing his limits. I pull away and take off running the way we came, back into the musty tunnel-hallway full of ice. I can hear his footsteps pounding behind me, but I pay them no notice. He'll never stop me-

Then the footsteps get louder, and I feel a knife I didn't realize he's been holding slide under my chin. "I don't want to hurt you, Princess." He says. "But I can't let you leave, either."