Through Fire & Sea

by Nicole Luiken

  “Yes,” Holly said flatly. “I don’t want to fall asleep then find out two years have passed. You have to let me back in.”

  (time runs differently on each Mirror World. when Qeturah murdered Nimue, it caused a time slip of eight months, but that’s unusual. that eight-month difference will never go away, but the worlds seem to be moving forward in greater harmony now. you won’t lose months or years.)

  Just then the stewardess gave the boarding call. The mirror darkened as soon as Leah walked onto the ramp. Holly Called again after five minutes but had no luck. There must not be any reflective surfaces on board. She’d have to wait until the flight landed in L.A.

  Sighing, Holly removed her hand from the glass and flexed her cold, cramped fingers.

  Now what?

  Outside, the volcano rumbled. Holly shuddered at the reminder of danger.

  The sensible thing to do was gather all the food and water she could carry and start hiking out of this valley of death. But she didn’t dare leave the Four Worlds mirror, nor did she know where to go.

  Only three dukes had died the same day as Gideon. There had to be some place that was less affected by the disaster. Could a whole world truly die?

  Based on Leah’s memories, Fire was only about half the size of British Columbia. But Fire had to be roughly similar in size to Earth or the gravity would be out of whack. Maybe there were other habitable valleys somewhere, like undiscovered continents.

  Except Qeturah, who was from the True World, had talked about the population falling below sustainable levels.

  The thought of the world dying around her made tiny claws of panic prick Holly. What if Leah changed her mind about switching bodies back? What if Leah decided that, if one of them had to die, it should be Holly?

  A wave of weariness engulfed her, and she abruptly decided it could all wait until morning.

  Night had fallen, but an ominous orange glow from Thunderhead allowed her to navigate the hall to Qeturah’s chambers. Holly stuck out her tongue at the illusion of Qeturah in the obsidian mirror hanging on her door and walked inside. A curtain kept out both volcanic dust and light.

  She’d intended to drag the pallet down the hall to sleep in front of the Four Worlds mirror, but exhaustion bludgeoned her. She lay down on the bed and promptly fell asleep.

  She didn’t move a muscle until someone shook her awake.

  …

  Leah kept her composure through the long flight and the chaos of exiting the airplane, only to nearly lose it when the duke tried to embrace her.

  Leah had accessed Holly’s memories; she knew Joseph Beecher, Holly’s father, was not a tyrant like his otherself, but when she saw him, she saw Duke Ruben. Different clothes couldn’t disguise his aura of power. When he removed the darkened lenses shielding his eyes and opened his arms, she flinched.

  “Holly?” He stopped smiling. “Is something wrong?”

  Fear roughened her skin. She mustn’t let him suspect. “Nothing’s wrong.” Reminding herself that the duke was dead, Leah stepped forward into his hug.

  He fit his chin on top of her head. Once upon a time she’d hoped for fond embraces from her true father, but this wasn’t him, wasn’t right— She stood stiffly until he released her.

  He smiled, and she noticed his nose was straight, and his hair had blond streaks. The obvious differences let her breathe easier. Not the duke.

  “Are you still mad at me for luring your boyfriend out here?” he asked.

  After a moment, Leah puzzled out that he was talking about how Gideon’s otherself had moved to this city to work for him. She shook her head.

  “What about Ryan? Are you ready to put the boy out of his misery yet and forgive him?”

  “Yes.” Here in this world, Gideon lived. She would forgive him anything for that alone. But from Holly’s memories, there was little to forgive. Holly might not believe Ryan’s protestations of innocence, but Leah knew her soul mate could never turn to another.

  Joseph Beecher’s eyebrows lifted. “Glad to hear it. That’ll make things easier.”

  What things? Leah didn’t understand but didn’t want to show her ignorance by asking.

  “Are you okay?” Joseph Beecher asked her after they’d retrieved her luggage from a strange mechanical river. His look of concern seemed out of place on the duke’s face. “You’re being very quiet.”

  Holly’s mother had said the same thing this morning. She must do better. “I’m just tired.”

  “You’ll feel better once we get some food into you.” Joseph Beecher piled her suitcases onto a cart. “How does steak sound?”

  Steak was one of the many different types of meat here. “Good,” Leah said, then realized she’d answered his question with only one word. She tried again. “I like meat.”

  Unexpectedly, Joseph Beecher laughed. “Glad to hear it. It seems like almost all the women in Hollywood are vegetarians. I don’t think I ever saw Cassie Burns eat more than a salad—” He broke off, chagrined.

  Once again Leah had no idea why. A headache throbbed at her temples. She’d tried to prepare for stepping into Holly’s life, but this world was so complicated, she felt as though she were threading a path through lava flows.

  A sudden frisson of awareness traveled up her spine. Turning, she saw him.

  Elation and something close to terror rooted her to the spot. Gideon lived. And yet—despair crushed down—it wasn’t truly him. His otherself’s eyes were neither dragon diamond nor the fake brown Qeturah had imposed, but instead a dark blue. His hair was cut closer to his skull.

  But his mouth, his chin, his strong body were the same. And so was the love shining on his face.

  “Holly?” His voice stroked her nerves like velvet.

  Her throat closed with emotion; otherwise she might have called him Gideon despite all her practice on the plane.

  Joseph Beecher scowled, suddenly looking much more like the duke. “We agreed that you would wait until tomorrow.”

  “I couldn’t wait,” Gideon’s otherself said. His body sang with tension, but he stood up to Holly’s father where Leah had seen grown men quail before the duke. He looked at Leah. “I had to see you.”

  Leah flung herself at Gideon’s otherself, tears welling as his arms closed around her. “Holly?”

  Even being called by the wrong name couldn’t dent her joy. “I’m so glad to see you—” Alive. She choked back the word.

  “Me, too.” And then his lips found hers.

  Blind and deaf to everything else, Leah fell into the kiss. Gideon, Gideon, Gideon, her heart beat in joyous rhythm.

  But—Leah drew back in sudden disorientation—Ryan gave off none of the wonderful furnace heat that Gideon had, the gift of the dragon inside. And his kiss tasted slightly salty.

  “Enough, you two.” Joseph Beecher quirked his lips in amusement. “I’m hungry.”

  Gideon—Ryan—smiled down at her and laced his fingers with hers. The contact felt perfect, like two stones fitting in a wall without mortar.

  “I suppose Nimue is with the car?” Joseph Beecher sounded resigned.

  Leah’s pulse jumped at the thought of facing Qeturah so soon. It would be hard to pretend Qeturah was Nimue.

  “No,” Ryan said. “I came alone.” They exchanged a look that Leah couldn’t interpret.

  “Since you’re here, you might as well come to dinner with us,” Joseph Beecher said. “But no monopolizing my daughter. I haven’t seen her in months, either.”

  “Deal.”

  Joseph Beecher laughed, his eyes crinkling in a way the duke’s never had. “You’re much easier to negotiate with than your mother.”

  During the meal, Joseph Beecher dominated the conversation, while Ryan chipped in with the occasional story. Leah found most of the anecdotes incomprehensible—and by the time she could access Holly’s memories, the conversation had moved on again—but it didn’t matter. Being with Ryan was like having Gideon alive again. She couldn’t stop smiling. The meal passed
in a happy blur, ending with a scrumptious slice of cake flavored with something called chocolate.

  During the car ride home, she nestled against Ryan in the backseat.

  “So,” he whispered, “you believe me now? About the picture? What changed your mind?”

  Leah wasn’t entirely certain what he was talking about. “It doesn’t matter. I missed you.” She fell asleep with her head against his shoulder, waking when they arrived at Joseph Beecher’s house.

  Although no castle, it was twice the size of Holly’s house. Oddly, from Holly’s memories, Joseph Beecher had only two servants and no wife or child. No Yudith, no Jehannah. They must not have otherselves.

  “Uh, give me a second,” Joseph Beecher said, leaving them in the entranceway.

  “Sorry about this,” Ryan whispered. “It wasn’t my idea to keep it a secret.”

  Leah looked up in surprise. What secret?

  Joseph Beecher returned, holding hands with a dark-haired woman wearing a scanty green dress.

  Qeturah. Hatred burned in Leah’s gut like lava.

  “Holly,” Joseph Beecher said, “you’ve met Nimue, of course.”

  “Yes,” Leah choked out. She hadn’t expected to see her nemesis yet; she had to fight the urge to attack the other woman.

  “Oh, dear, your daughter doesn’t look very happy.” Qeturah sounded amused, but her eyes held a dangerous glitter. “I thought you said she was past being jealous of your relationships.”

  A chill ran down Leah’s spine, dampening her anger. Ashes, what if she’d just given herself away?

  “Holly, be polite,” Joseph Beecher said sternly. “I’ve come to know Nimue over the last eight months, and she’s a very special lady. Special to me, I mean. I’ve asked her to marry me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Lake of Fire

  “Move and I’ll slit your throat,” a woman hissed.

  Holly froze in the act of stretching. The sleep-fuzzed thought that it must be time for school burned away. She was in Qeturah’s bedroom on Fire World. A knife pressed against her throat.

  Qeturah laughed. “Now that I have your attention.” She withdrew the blade but kept the tip pointed in Holly’s direction.

  Despite Qeturah’s fashionable sundress and sleek haircut, Holly had no doubt she faced Qeturah, not Nimue. Too bad. A plastic fork sounded really good right now.

  Holly cautiously sat up. “Qeturah.”

  “I’m delighted that you decided to contact me, Leah—at least I assume you walked past the copper mirrors and triggered my alarm on purpose.”

  Copper mirrors? Holly hadn’t seen any, but she judged it best to answer with stony silence so she didn’t give her true identity away.

  After a pause, Qeturah continued, “Last time we talked, you seemed determined to die with the beast.”

  Holly felt a spike of rage on behalf of her otherself. “Gideon was your son. How dare you speak of him like that?”

  “That’s one view.” Qeturah shrugged. “Or you could say I created him for a purpose—which he fulfilled.”

  Holly opened her mouth, but the gleam in those green eyes gave her pause. Qeturah was provoking her on purpose. Holly’s pulse jumped. She’s not sure who I am. Leah must have done something to make her suspicious.

  “Since you’re here, you might as well make yourself useful,” Qeturah said. “Go to the Four Worlds mirror.”

  It was a test. Holly pushed back the covers and led the way, although it made her shoulder blades itch to have Qeturah behind her. If she figured out who Holly was, or even decided that Leah was a threat, she’d stab Holly in the back.

  Holly longed to spin around and kick the knife out of her hand. If only she’d taken karate lessons, not piano.

  Nevertheless, Holly resolved to try for the knife if Qeturah wanted her to do something morally wrong, like kill Ryan or damage some other poor world.

  Qeturah urged her forward with a knife flick. “Stand so that your reflection is centered right where all four mirrors join. Then Call your True self.”

  “Why do you need me?” Holly stalled. She used Leah’s skirt to wipe a layer of ash off the mirror.

  Qeturah’s lips tightened. “Despite the energy I’m gaining from Fire’s death throes, I remain barred from my rightful place on the True World. You will relay a message for me.”

  Letting out a breath of relief at the innocuousness of the request, Holly stood where each quarter of her body was reflected by a different surface. The glass, gold, obsidian, and ice should have made a strange patchwork, but after a few seconds of Calling, the reflections resolved into a single image.

  Holly had expected her True self to be an ideal version of herself, so the chubby girl standing there made her blink in surprise.

  Her True self had long black hair that swirled down to her knees and an elaborate network of silver cupped her cheekbones and climbed into her hair on one side. Was it jewelry? Some sort of cyborg implant?

  Startled, her True self jerked her head away before a connection could form.

  “Good. You have her attention. Tell her to contact First Councillor Ellona—or I’ll slit your throat.”

  Holly swallowed, then repeated the message.

  Her True self protested. (the First Councillor may be my grandmother, but she’s very busy. I don’t know if I can get through to her.)

  “Well?” Qeturah demanded.

  “She’ll try, but she says the First Councillor may ignore her.” Did Qeturah know the First Councillor was her True self’s grandmother?

  “Oh, Ellona will want to talk to me,” Qeturah said confidently. “Tell the First Councillor you have a message from Qeturah, shatterer of worlds.”

  “Plural?” Holly blurted.

  Qeturah pricked her. “Just pass it on.”

  Holly did as asked. Her True self looked appalled but used her silver implant to contact the First Councillor. A hologram of an elderly woman wearing a gold headdress appeared.

  Holly studied her curiously. Her father’s mother had died before Holly was born. She’d only seen black-and-white photos of a woman in her forties.

  (uh, she says she ought to have known it was Qeturah,) her True self said. (does Qeturah know what she’s done? it’ll take generations to clean up her mess and repair the damage to Fire. she’s probably to blame for Water’s time slip, too. my gran will put her in a hole so deep—)

  Holly only got as far as the part about Qeturah’s “mess” before Qeturah interrupted.

  “Tell the old woman to shut up and listen. Tell her if she doesn’t step down as First Councillor in the next month, I’ll shatter a second world.”

  As soon as Holly relayed the message, Qeturah severed the connection. “That ought to give the old crone a sleepless night,” she said with satisfaction.

  “Do you really think she’ll resign?” Holly asked.

  “No, but after I shatter Water and rumors get out that she could have prevented it, she’ll be pressured into resigning.”

  “Wasn’t it a little stupid to tell her where and when you’re planning to strike again?” Holly couldn’t help asking.

  “I want her to fear me,” Qeturah said coldly.

  Oh-kay then. Holly shut up.

  “Ellona’s government is riddled with leaks. My true message was for my old teacher, Malachi. Nor do I have any intention of waiting thirty days to strike.”

  Crap.

  Qeturah studied her with narrowed eyes. “Have you been spying on me? Taking over your otherself?”

  Holly kept silent.

  “I think it would be better if you didn’t have free run of my Tower. Up to the Aerie then.” She jabbed Holly with the knife.

  “Ow!” Holly rubbed her arm.

  Qeturah sighed. “I didn’t even draw blood. Go.”

  Holly dropped to the floor, belly crawled underneath the Four Worlds mirror, then scrambled to her feet. This could be her chance—

  Qeturah dove inside the alcove.

  H
olly kicked at the knife, but Qeturah was moving, rolling to her hands and knees, and Holly struck Qeturah’s shoulder instead.

  Qeturah tackled her around the knees. Holly’s head cracked against the back of the obsidian mirror. And then she was on the floor, Qeturah’s elbow digging into her windpipe, the knife an inch from her eyes.

  “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t cut your throat.” Qeturah’s eyes were as cold and merciless as a snake’s.

  “True self…granddaughter…Ellona,” Holly wheezed.

  Qeturah’s eyebrows lifted. “Interesting. You’ve won a reprieve.” She climbed to her feet.

  Holly warily did the same, blinking fiercely. She would not cry.

  “Let’s try again, shall we? Remove the rope from the lunch pail, and tie it around your neck.”

  Holly did so, making sure to give herself plenty of slack. Qeturah tested the knot, keeping hold of the free end of the rope. “Up the ladder. I advise you not to slip.”

  Holly climbed very carefully, shaken. Qeturah had been a breath away from killing her. If Leah’s body died, would Holly die, too? She didn’t want to find out.

  “Now lie facedown on the landing.”

  Holly complied, staying in that helpless position until Qeturah finished her climb.

  “Inside.”

  Holly unbarred the metal door and entered the Aerie. Fifteen centimeters of ash had drifted in through the huge balcony window.

  Qeturah kept hold of her leash as she made a quick sweep of the room and tossed anything resembling a weapon out the window. “Untie the rope and give it to me.”

  Holly complied.

  “Now get on the bed.”

  Did Qeturah intend to tie her down? Holly tensed to fight, but as soon as she sat, Qeturah whipped through the door. The iron bar thudded into place.

  Trapped.

  …

  “You know,” Gideon—Ryan—said, putting his hands in his pockets, “I thought you’d be more freaked about the fact that Nimue and I have moved into your dad’s house.”

  Would Holly be? Had Leah misstepped again? She shrugged.

  After an hour of stilted conversation among the four of them, Ryan had suggested he and Holly go onto the patio for some cool air. Leah had eagerly agreed. She’d been desperate to speak to him alone, but now she didn’t know what to say. Should she tell him the truth? I’m not Holly. I’m her otherself from another world, and that is not your mother.