by L. M. Brown
Aiden and Robert appeared appalled at Harry’s familiarity, but Lucius quite liked the sound of his name when Harry spoke it.
“She’s not my type,” Lucius said, with a wink at the assassin.
Robert approached the magic mirror, and Lucius directed Harry to set his own mirror opposite the large silver frame.
“It isn’t always helpful,” Robert said. “Sometimes it can be quite cryptic with advice, and other times it can be even less helpful.”
“Magic mirror, grace us with your presence,” Aiden said.
Robert shook his head. “I’ve told you before, sucking up to it won’t work. Mama, are you there?”
A shadowy figure appeared in the mirror.
“My mother can sometimes show us what we need to see,” Robert explained. “She can’t speak from the mirror though.”
“Can she come out of the mirror?” Harry asked.
“Only very rarely,” Robert said. “Each time she appears it uses up more of her magical energy, which can never be replenished. When her energy is gone, she will vanish from the mirror forever.”
Lucius understood immediately why she chose to stay in her mirror. “Can she tell us how I can take control of my life again?”
“Mama?” Robert asked. “Can you help King Lucius?”
Slowly the images in the mirror transformed, revealing an unfamiliar castle high on a hill in the middle of an island.
“Do you recognise the castle?” Aiden asked.
Lucius shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not.”
“Where is this place?” Robert asked.
The image shrank as the mirror seemed to draw away from the island, showing the castle was situated not far off the coast of a much larger continent.
“That doesn’t help much,” Aiden said.
Another change, and this time the mirror showed them the coastline. Harry leaned forward and squinted at the mirror. “I think I know that town.”
“You do?” Lucius asked.
“Yes. It’s about a week south of here.”
Lucius knew enlisting Harry’s help had been a good idea. He had seen far more of the world than Lucius had. Other than the occasional royal function, such as attending Prince Aiden’s wedding, he had rarely left his own kingdom.
“We should leave immediately,” Lucius said. “We must travel to that castle if I’m to escape this wretched mirror.”
“The mirror world is what you make it,
If you don’t like it, try to change it.”
“That’s the mirror itself,” Robert explained.
“It sounds annoyed,” Harry commented.
“Can it help though?” Lucius asked. “Is the castle we saw where the wizard came from?”
“Dark magic brews across the sea,
I’d stay away if I were thee.”
“I have to get my life back,” Lucius insisted. “If that’s the wizard’s castle, I have to go there. He’s ruining my life and my reputation. My people are already turning against me. If I don’t return to my body soon, I may not be able to repair the damage.”
The image in the mirror changed again, this time zooming back in on the castle until they were seeing the inside of the building. In the centre of a room full of potions stood a mirror, the surface reflecting not the room around it, but the inside of Lucius’s bedchamber, where the wizard slept in Lucius’s body.
“Magic mirrors can do wonderful things,
But in the wrong hands, it’s doom they bring.”
“But how do I escape the mirror?” Lucius asked.
“Break the mirror and you break the spell.
Leave it intact and live in hell.”
Lucius nodded. He had suspected breaking the mirror would be the way to break the spell.
“One more thing before you go,
Make sure your pace is quick not slow.
The island will not stay for long,
With the next full moon, it will be gone.”
“It moves?” Roberts asked.
The mirror showed the island from above once more. It shimmered a moment and disappeared.
“When’s the next full moon?” Lucius asked.
“Two weeks from now,” Robert replied. “You’ll have to hurry.”
“Harry will need a horse.”
Aiden hurried through the door to the adjoining chamber and called for a guard.
“We’ll get you some provisions for your journey, too,” Robert said. “I would suggest you leave as soon as possible.”
Lucius agreed, and after thanking Aiden and Robert for their help, they headed to the stables so they could continue on their journey.
Chapter Four
Harry had hoped to rest a while before they began travelling again. The dungeon had been most uncomfortable, and the man in the cell across from him had been singing—off key—for much of the day.
Unfortunately, they only had a limited amount of time to reach the island before it moved again. Harry cursed whoever had come up with the idea of a moving island. In his opinion, if you wanted to move around the oceans, buy a boat.
Prince Aiden had provided him with one of the fastest horses in the stables, a temperamental beast who looked at Harry as if debating whether to throw him into a patch of poison ivy or just into the mud.
With no alternative method of transport, Harry climbed onto the horse’s back, causing the creature to bolt immediately.
“I told you Joker was fast,” Prince Aiden called from behind them, as Harry clung on for dear life as they passed under the portcullis and out onto the open road.
Joker kept up his pace for almost a mile before he slowed down a little, allowing Harry to once again breathe properly.
“Are you still there?” Harry asked Lucius. He didn’t dare let go of the reins to take the mirror from his pocket.
“For the moment,” Lucius replied. “I’m sure the wizard will be waking soon, though. Don’t worry about me, just keep heading south.”
“I wasn’t worrying about you,” Harry replied. “I just thought this crazy beast might have caused me to drop your mirror.”
Lucius laughed and Harry nearly chuckled along with him. If it weren’t for the fact he thought he might vomit from the wild ride, he would have done. Lucius seemed to have a nice laugh, not what he’d have expected from a king. Not that he had met any member of a royal family before, but they had always seemed most severe in their portraits.
“Tell me about yourself,” Harry asked. He hoped Lucius might be able to distract him from his churning stomach. “What’s it like being a king?”
Lucius sighed loudly. “You don’t want to hear about that, it’s boring. Besides, I don’t have much experience in being king. I was barely crowned when the wizard stole my life. Let’s talk about you instead.”
“Nothing to tell,” Harry replied.
“A compromise then,” Lucius said. “We’ll exchange questions. For each one of mine that you answer, I’ll answer one of yours. Agreed?”
“It sounds fair enough,” Harry agreed. “I’ll even let you go first.”
“Excellent. So, Harry, any plans for marriage?”
This time Harry did laugh. “I’m not the marrying type.”
They continued in that manner for the rest of the night. Talking and exchanging questions, some general and some personal. Harry told Lucius more about himself than he had ever told anyone else, and he learned more about Lucius than he knew about any other man he had met. He was surprised how much he enjoyed talking to the king and how much he liked what he was hearing. The king was surprisingly good company and helped to make the long journey far less tedious. He also did a good job of taking Harry’s mind off his stomach.
As the sun rose, Joker slowed down, becoming far more manageable, and Harry began to relax, feeling less nauseous and more confident that he would reach their destination in one piece.
Lucius had disappeared for the day, and Harry soon began to feel the loneliness of his absence once mo
re. It might not have been so bad if his route were more pleasant, with an occasional village to pass through, or someone else travelling the same paths. Instead the roads were deserted and he was surrounded by fields and the occasional wooded copse.
The princes had provided sustenance for the journey, and Harry munched on an apple as he rode.
As the day wore on Harry became increasingly bored, and several times he caught himself addressing Lucius, before remembering he wasn’t presently in the mirror. He wondered what it must be like being trapped in your own reflection, watching as another being wreaked havoc on your life. Harry didn’t imagine it to be much fun.
Harry stopped at a roadside tavern for lunch and to rest his horse. Lunch was soup that was little more than a couple of pieces of carrot floating in hot water, and the ale was nothing to write home about either. Harry didn’t linger there, and was soon on his way again. Before he continued his ride he decided to remove the mirror from his pocket and hook the handle through his belt. At least if Lucius returned he would be able to see something other than the lining of Harry’s pocket.
It was mid-afternoon when Lucius’s voice informed Harry of the king’s presence.
“The wizard is napping,” Lucius said. “Where are we?”
“The far side of the back of beyond,” Harry replied. “Also known as the middle of nowhere.”
“Ah, well, as long as we’re making progress. Have you been riding all day?”
“I stopped for lunch, but other than that, yes.”
“Good, good.”
A couple of riders approached them, travelling in the opposite direction. Harry gripped the reins tighter and silently hoped neither of the men recognised him. He hadn’t been around these parts for some years, but when you were a wanted man, you could never be too careful.
“Good day,” the first rider called as they neared. “What news do you have?”
Harry rolled his eyes. Did he look like a bloody scribe? Still, a response would be needed, and one that didn’t ignite their suspicions.
“All is well at the castle. I don’t recommend the tavern on this road, eat elsewhere if you can.”
“That bad?”
Harry scowled. “Daylight robbery.”
“Thank you for the warning,” the second rider said. “There’s an inn a few hours back this way that’s doing a special on stew.”
That sounded deliciously tempting and Harry’s stomach growled at the mere mention of decent food.
The two men passed him, continuing on their way, and Harry urged Joker to pick up the pace a little.
“Nice of them to give us a tip,” Harry commented to Lucius. “Pleasant chaps.”
“Nice arse on the big man, too,” Lucius replied.
Harry spun round in the saddle, an automatic reaction, and saw Lucius was right.
Lucius snickered and Harry quickly faced the direction they were riding in again.
He wondered whether he should say something but decided against it. He had never flaunted his preferences and he didn’t intend to start now.
“Not going to admit it, huh?” Lucius said after they had gone another quarter of a mile down the road.
“Admit what?”
“That you prefer the company of men.”
“I’ve just no time for women these days.”
“Is that right? Being a hired killer is that time-consuming?”
“Apparently so,” Harry mumbled. “This job is certainly taking longer than expected.”
“You’re very good at changing the subject. There’s nothing wrong with desiring men. I myself prefer sharing my bed with men, though the wizard who inhabits my body doesn’t share my tastes.”
Harry declined to comment on that. It was none of his business who Lucius—no, who the king—chose to sleep with. The nobility could do as they pleased. The peasants had to be a little more careful.
* * * *
Six days later, Harry crested a hill and saw the longed-for view of the sea ahead of him.
The full moon was just over a week away, which meant they still had time.
Harry urged his horse on with renewed vigour, and within a couple of hours he reached the docks.
Two ships were berthed, though one seemed to be undergoing repairs, and not likely to be leaving any time soon. Harry headed to the second ship, in search of the captain.
“What do you want?” the captain asked.
“Are you setting sail soon?” Harry asked.
“We leave with the morning tide,” the captain replied. “What’s it got to do with you?”
“I’d like to secure passage on this vessel.”
“This is a cargo ship, not a bloody pleasure cruise.”
“It’s very urgent.”
“You on the run or something?”
“No.” Well, technically yes, but that wasn’t the point.
“Then what’s so urgent?”
“It’s a matter of kingdom security,” Harry insisted, hoping it sounded important enough.
“What’s that when it’s at home?”
“It’s a matter of life and death.”
“And you want me to put my ship and crew in danger?”
“No, of course not. I just need passage. I can pay you.”
“Pay?” The captain grinned widely, revealing several gold teeth. “Now you’re talking. Ten gold pieces for a berth in the hold.”
“Ten gold pieces? That’s daylight robbery!”
“I just put my price up to twenty.”
“You can’t do that.”
“Of course I can. It’s my ship, so I can charge what I like. Keep arguing and I’ll make it fifty.”
“I don’t have twenty gold pieces.”
“Then I don’t have room on my ship for you.”
“But it’s a matter of great urgency.”
“Not my problem.”
The captain turned his back, leaving Harry wondering where in the kingdom he was supposed to find twenty gold pieces when he hadn’t got two to rub together.
The tavern on the dock was crowded with drunken sailors, most singing even worse than the prisoner back in Prince Aiden’s dungeons. A few quieter chaps played dice in the corner. Harry checked his pockets, found a few coppers, and having no better ideas, he went to join the game.
Lucky for Harry, no one had substituted weighted dice so the game was as fair as it could be, and within an hour Harry had trebled his money.
Players came and went, but Harry stayed.
“Can I get you anything?” a buxom wench purred as she approached the table.
Harry shook his head.
“Anything at all,” she persisted as she brushed his arm enticingly.
Under the cover of reaching for the dice, Harry moved out of her reach.
“Not interested in our Polly’s wares?” one of the other players, a huge man named Olaf, asked.
“I need to make some fast money, not spend it on whores,” Harry replied.
Polly gave a squeak of protest. “I was offering you some of me homemade apple pie or fresh orange juice. I ain’t no strumpet.”
Harry cringed as everyone at the table nodded while glaring at him.
Ten minutes later, Harry was on the floor of a nearby alley, without a copper coin to his name.
* * * *
When Lucius returned to the mirror he thought at first something had gone wrong. Then he realised the mirror must be facing something like a wall or the floor, and he could see nothing at all. Had Harry dropped him somewhere? What could have happened?
“Harry, are you there?” Lucius called.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m here.”
“Good. Why can’t I see anything?”
A moment later Harry rectified that and Lucius saw the assassin was rather the worse for wear. He had a broken nose, a black eye, and a split lip.
“What happened?” Lucius asked.
“I was set upon by ruffians,” Harry muttered.
“Where are we?”<
br />
“In an alley just off the docks.”
“Well, what do you expect when you frequent such places?” Lucius had no patience for stupidity, and he needed Harry focused and alert if they were going to defeat the wizard.
“I was trying to make enough money to buy passage on a ship. I need twenty gold pieces by dawn or it’ll sail without us.”
“Twenty gold pieces? That’s extortion.”
“I know. And right now I’ve got nothing.”
“The robbers took everything?”
“Every last copper.”
Lucius sighed. This was an unexpected problem. He had never had to worry about money before. As a member of the royal family he had always had everything he ever wanted. How did the peasants go about making money?
“Any ideas?” Harry prompted.
“Perhaps if you explain and promise to pay later?”
Harry’s expression told Lucius immediately that wouldn’t work. Now he thought about it, Lucius was a little surprised Harry had chosen to help him without any form of payment in advance. Maybe Harry didn’t really like his job of being an assassin. Again, Lucius wondered how many lives Harry had taken. He pushed the unsettling thought aside and concentrated on the problem to hand.
“You’ll have to stow away,” Lucius finally said. “I wouldn’t normally condone such a course of action, but I think in the circumstances it’s your only option.”
Harry groaned as he staggered to his feet. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
Lucius had half expected an argument from Harry, but instead he straightened his cloak and marched out of the alley.
* * * *
Harry watched the comings and goings at the ship from the shadows of the doorway of an abandoned bakery. No one seemed to be checking who boarded and disembarked, but he doubted it would be as easy as strolling onto the deck and searching for a place to hide.
As the day drew to a close, fewer people wandered the docks. Lights dimmed and shutters closed as the town shut down for the day.
When an hour had passed, and the only person Harry had seen was a drunk weaving his way down the street, he decided it was now or never.
“Keep quiet,” Harry warned, not wishing Lucius to speak suddenly and give them away.
