by Wendy Knight
She started screaming again, as his rotting corpse sucked her life away, eating her from the outside in. She fought to escape his grip, but they were bound tight. Eiress sobbed, squeezing her eyes shut tight like she could escape into herself.
Again, she felt him. He didn't usually come to the balls. She could feel his fear, his pain, his helplessness, but her friend, the boy from the mirror, he stayed. As if he somehow knew the comfort he brought. The strength. She could almost hear him, begging her to be strong. Begging her to keep fighting. She could almost hear his soothing words, praising her courage, telling her she would make it through this. When the screaming stopped, when Brittan's soul had been dragged through the gates of hell, and the souls, seeing what one dance could do for them, massed around her once more, his voice kept their memories out.
IT WASN'T UNTIL EIRESS was returned safely to her rooms and had cried herself to sleep that Landon left the mirror. It was four o'clock in the morning, and he had school in a few hours.
It didn't matter.
Landon always been a good kid. He never cut class, didn't party, didn't break curfew. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd been grounded. He'd never snuck out before in his life.
Until now.
Moving with the stealth of a badly wounded ninja, he grabbed his truck keys, a shovel, a flashlight, and his wallet. He wasn't sure what else, exactly, one needed to go grave-robbing, so he stuck to the basics. Somehow, he made it outside and, like every smart kid in the movies had done, he pushed his truck down the driveway and into the road before climbing in and starting it.
He was lucky his parents were deep sleepers.
He'd been to West Haven a few times before, to hang out with friends or for football games. He'd mapped out where the cemetery was and put the address into his GPS. The streets were deserted. If the farmers were awake, they were tucked away in their barns, because he saw no sign of life.
After what he'd just seen at the ball, that thought nearly crashed the car.
GPS only misled him once, and he had to backtrack and figure out where the heck he was. It wasn't until he realized Eiress's mother was whispering directions to him that he shut off the technology and listened to the ghost. She led him through a corn field and his truck left wide paths of torn, bent stocks. It would probably come back to bite Landon later, but they found the cemetery.
The gates were locked, of course, because only heathens would attempt to hang out in a graveyard at night. He backed his truck up as close as he could, climbed into the back, and jumped over the gate.
He had no idea how he'd get back out.
But that wasn't important. Right now, he was just glad he'd made it over without impaling himself or injuring any limbs. He had a football game in a few days. "Okay. Where to now, Mrs. Ghost?" he muttered.
He didn't actually expect her to answer.
"This way."
He could barely hear her, like she was nearing exhaustion. But he followed her promptings, jogging along the asphalt into the depths of the cemetery.
There were no street lights. The sky was overcast. It was absolutely and perfectly pitch black, except for his flashlight that seemed to be on the verge of death. Way to check the batteries, genius.
"Almost there. Headstone. Angel."
He jogged faster, eyes straining through the darkness for the bright wings of an angel. The wings, unfortunately, were not bright. They were dulled with age, so much so that he couldn't see them in the darkness, and when he crashed right into one, it nearly knocked him off his feet. He staggered sideways as Eiress's mom whispered, "Right here."
"Ya think?" Landon muttered, rubbing his shoulder. Shaking the flashlight to life, he peered at the headstone. The name was worn away, the year said 1812. A metal box, with a rusted lock and blackened metal, sat at the base of the statue.
"That's where the key is, isn't it?" He crouched down next to it, inspecting the lock. It was old, but still seemed sturdy. "Great. I need a key to get the key. What kind of irony is that?"
He had no idea whose grave this was, or why this person had the key to Bloody Mary's chains buried above their head. He also had no idea how he was going to break a lock with no bolt cutters…or even a hammer. Or a saw.
And a guard, walking right at him.
Landon swore and flattened himself on the ground. His truck was backed up to the gate. His flashlight was rolling across the asphalt and working now, inconveniently enough. There was no way the guard would miss him. He was going to get arrested, and they would make it harder to get into the cemetery, and he would never save Eiress.
He was working frantically for an excuse, any excuse, when there was a crash from across the cemetery. The guard spun and sprinted into the darkness, his light bouncing over the headstones. Landon scrambled to his knees and dove for his flashlight. He had seconds, probably, until the guard returned. "Thanks, Eiress's mom," he murmured. Using his flashlight as a club, he banged on the lock.
Miraculously, it crumbled under the first hit. He wasn't sure if he should thank Eiress's mom or time for that one. With shaking hands, he fumbled with the lid. It was rusted to the box and didn't seem to have any intention of moving. Grabbing the battered flashlight again, he whacked it against the box again and again until he missed and his hand smashed into the box. Searing pain shot clear up to his shoulder and he felt his hand bleed, but he couldn't see it. Muttering something along the lines of, "Ouch, that hurt," he used the pain to give him strength, and hit the box again. It cracked, half the lid sliding sideways with a groan. With his good hand, he shoved the pieces out of the way and peered inside.
He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting. A glowing key nestled in red satin, maybe?
But it was nothing special. Seemingly made of thick glass, about four inches long, with two "teeth" to open the lock. And what looked like some sort of precious stone—probably the ruby the ghost had mentioned. He could hear the guard coming, talking to someone on his phone—probably the police. There was no time to hesitate, even though sticking his hand into ancient, un-inspected boxes had never been high on his list of fun things to do. Landon sucked in a breath, thrust his hand through the broken pieces, and wrapped his fingers around the key. Then he was on his feet, grabbing the flashlight as he sprinted through the cemetery and back to his truck. Adrenaline gave him super powers as he jumped the fence, swinging himself over the top like an Olympian. He landed in the bed of his truck, leaped over the side, and threw himself into the cab. He could hear the guard yelling, could see the bounce of the flashlight in his rearview mirror, as he jammed the key in the ignition and started the truck. By the time the guard reached the gate, Landon was turning the corner and roaring off into safety.
Or so he thought. He tucked the key into his jacket pocket and drove home. The lights of the house were all on, and he could see his parents in the living room. He parked the truck and let his head fall back against the headrest. "I am so screwed."
But it was okay. He could be locked in his room for a year, for all it mattered.
There was a mirror in his room.
Resigned to his fate, he pushed the door open and cradling his injured hand against his chest to keep from dripping blood on the sidewalk, he slouched up the steps to the front door. "Hi."
His parents stared at him in shock. For several seconds, there were no words, just hanging mouths. And then they both spoke at once. "What happened to you?" "Where were you?" "What were you thinking?" "Let me see your hand!" That last one was from his mom, who jerked his hand away from his chest and then gasped at the injury. He hadn't had time to inspect it yet, so he risked a glance, too.
Yeah. He definitely wouldn't be playing football next week.
"Where did you go?" Dad asked as Mom dragged him into the kitchen.
"I…" He had no idea what to say. Why oh why hadn't he practiced lying more?
"We've got to take him to the hospital. I'm sure this is broken."
Funny, he'd noticed the pain
, but it had been dulled, as if from a distance, because of the need to get the key and get to Eiress. Now, though, as he risked a look at the wound, it all hit him at once and nearly brought him to his knees. He felt the blood leave his face and black splotches blurred his vision. "I—I think I need to sit." He mumbled as he stumbled backward. His dad managed to yank a chair out just as Landon's legs gave out.
"I'll get the keys." Dad rushed out of the room as Mom wrapped his hand in dish towels. They were new—he'd given them to her for Christmas because she always complained about how ugly hers were. She heaved him to his feet and tucked herself under his shoulder, helping him toward the car.
But the key.
The key was in his pocket. And the ruby. He couldn't risk losing them, and he knew he'd have to take his jacket off at the hospital. Trying to muster more strength than he thought he had, he said, "I—I have to go to the bathroom."
She looked at him like he'd lost his mind, with something akin to dread.
"I can do it myself," he reassured her quickly. That would have been embarrassing.
She walked him to the bathroom and shut the door behind him. "I'll be right here if you need me."
Awesome. He flipped the fan on, hoping that would convince her he wasn't in here just digging through his pockets. With his good hand, he fumbled for the key and the ruby. Grateful for the cute plants his mom had on the corner of the counter, he tucked both treasures carefully into the dirt and prayed she wouldn't suddenly remember to water the flowers. That would be just his luck—she never remembered, except when he needed her not to. He risked a glance at the mirror, but Eiress, luckily, was sleeping soundly, Kaida curled around her head.
With the key and Eiress safe for the moment, he let his parents take him to the hospital.
EIRESS HAD BEEN PLAGUED by nightmares, and when she finally awoke, she had to convince herself that being awake was better than sleeping. Either way, she was surrounded by horror. She searched for him—the boy from the mirror. But he wasn't there, and that hurt more than any nightmare.
Of course, he couldn't be there all the time. She knew that. He probably wasn't trapped in a nightmare like she was, probably had a life beyond her, and he was out living that life. But he'd been there for her last night, during the monstrosity that was the ball. He hadn't left her, and had stayed until she'd fallen asleep. For that, she was grateful.
Still, she missed him.
Kaida hissed and puffed smoke next to her face, telling her to get up and face the day. Sighing, she threw the blankets off and forced herself to her feet. Her entire body hurt, like she'd been stomped by a dragon. That had happened, once. When one had invaded the castle and come straight for her. She'd had to crawl back to her room and laid on the cold floor, fighting for her life for hours. She hadn't been able to walk to the ball that night, and her punishment had been…
Severe.
But that had also been when she'd rescued Kaida. His egg had been just beyond the castle entrance, with all kinds of nightmarish creatures fighting over what got to devour it. She'd never ventured beyond its walls; her chains would not allow it, but she had stretched and strained and somehow, the chains had grown. She'd retrieved the egg and rushed back to her room, protecting it until Kaida had hatched.
He'd been the only bright spot in her gray world.
Slowly, she picked up the knitting needle on her side table and drew it lightly across her wrist. Deep enough to make it bleed, but not deep enough to do any real damage. One hundred and eighteen scars and one new cut. One hundred and nineteen princesses had gone since Eiress had come.
A part of her didn't want to bind the wound. A part of her wanted to see what would happen if she didn't. But she ignored that part. When she was strong—when the boy was there, she could shove that darkness deep into her soul, where she could barely feel it. But when he was gone, it was harder. She wasn't as strong without him, and could only ignore it, instead.
She wandered to the window to see what horrors awaited her this day. A person living outside the Isles would eat breakfast, but she hadn't tasted food in years and years. No one ate here.
Except the monsters. They ate quite often. Lost souls seemed to be their favorite meal.
Today, there was darkness. Even though the sun was up, it granted no light. Pitch blackness greeted her. Kaida hissed and attempted to blow fire, curling up her arm to her shoulder as something huge with gaping jaws and red, glowing eyes reared its head at her window. Eiress shrieked and leaped backward, slamming the shutters closed. The castle was enchanted, of course, because Mary didn't want to deal with any nightmares trying to kill her and send her to hell. If she died here—if any of them died here—they would go to hell. Mary wanted to avoid that, hence the enchantment. The only way in was through an open window.
Or an open door.
Of course, the one time Vlad left the door open when he let the lost souls inside for the ball, the dragon waltzed right in and tried to eat them all. Luckily, she was raising Kaida to be a good little dragon who ate spiders and not humans. Hopefully, he would remember that when he was all grown up and huge.
She sank onto her bed and let her head fall into her hands. Honestly, could hell be worse than this? Maybe it was time…
The boy was back.
She raised her head, a smile already creasing her face. He had a habit of showing up when things were at their worst. When she needed him most. "Last night was bad," she said, and paused as if waiting for him to answer, even though she knew he couldn't. "Thank you for staying with me."
She could feel pain from him. And fear. And confusion. She wasn't sure what was happening on his side of the mirror, but it didn't seem to be good. "Are you okay? I hope you're okay. I…I don't want you to feel pain." And then she blushed because that sounded stupid and lovesick.
Was it possible to be lovesick over someone you could only feel?
Yes. Yes it was.
"A thing tried to get into my room today," she said conversationally. She felt his alarm and smiled in response. "Kaida scared it away, though. And I closed the shutters so it couldn't get in."
It took her a moment to realize what his emotion was then. When she did, her heart nearly stopped in her chest.
Determination.
"Friend?" she whispered, but he was gone.
SHE'D ALMOST DIED. AGAIN.
While he was off getting his hand set and being drugged to the gills with pain medication, something had tried to come through her window and kill her.
He was running out of time.
But he couldn't very well go through the mirror and fight Mary while he was so loopy the room kept spinning. He'd have to sleep off the pain meds and then go.
Stupid broken bones.
He dropped his head on the table in front of the mirror, just to rest his eyes because they didn't want to stay open. He heard her panicked whisper from a distance as the medication won their battle and he fell asleep.
"Friend?"
LANDON WOKE UP HOURS later. Eiress was on her way to the ball for the evening, head high even as her entire body trembled. He needed to get up, get ready, gather supplies…but he couldn't leave her. Not while she was so afraid. So he stayed and watched, hoping she could feel him there with her. He watched her face down Mary and Elizabeth both, her huge green eyes narrowed. Both of them laughed, but he could feel their discomfort. They were afraid of Eiress.
He'd thought so before, but hadn't been sure until now. This was very important, he could feel it. But he didn't know how to use it to his advantage. He needed to know why they were so afraid of her.
He had no idea how to figure that out.
Instead, he made a list of everything he could think of that he would need. First and foremost, the cat's eye ruby that would keep Mary away from him. Second, a flashlight because one always took a flashlight into terrifying mirror worlds. Third, the key. Because otherwise, this was all just pointless.
That was the entirety of his list.
> Landon felt massively ill-prepared.
The ball, for the most part, was uneventful. At least, it was as uneventful as it could be. No one traded their soul for hell, no one was dragged kicking and screaming through the black, rotting gates, and no new princesses were sucked through the mirror.
All in all, he'd call it a good night.
Several times, he saw Eiress look up at the mirrors on the ceiling, as if she knew that was where he watched from. He knew she couldn't see him—she'd told him so, once—but it still gave him something between goose bumps and butterflies when it felt like she was staring right into his eyes.
And then the ball was over, and she escaped to her room. He finally let out the breath he'd been holding, the tense set of his shoulders slipping away when he knew she was safe.
"Thank you, friend," Eiress said quietly as she collapsed onto her bed, Kaida settling at her feet.
"You're welcome." Landon put his hand to the mirror. "I'm coming, Eiress."
He gathered his supplies. Checked on his parents, who were both sleeping. Landon knew full well that he might not make it back. That he might never see them again. He knew they would wake in a few hours and he'd be gone, and they'd be terrified, and he had no idea how to alleviate that fear. His note was short.
Going to rescue a good friend in trouble. Please don't worry. I love you both.
Yep. That would work.
"Landon?"
He jumped, nearly fell over—and not just because the pain meds made him loopy.
"Your mom told me you were sleeping when I came by earlier, but I saw your light on." Cassie eased through the opening in the back door. Damn the safe neighborhood they lived in. His parents never locked the door, and Cassie knew it.
"Yeah. I was. Broke my hand." He lifted said hand and waved it carefully, as if that explained everything.
"Oh my gosh. How? You poor baby! Let me kiss it better." Cassie gave him a wicked grin as she reached for his hand. Just before noticing the bag sitting at his feet.
