“It’s not you,” Ilaan said to Lelet, “but it does have to do with you.”
She went pale and set the cup down with a clatter. “Don’t tell him,” she said. “Let me tell him.” It must have to do with whatever she wanted to say to him. Their lives; intertwined, whether they all three liked it or not.
Ilaan leaned forward, his eyes wide. “Then you haven’t told him about your…Hm. Bad form, Lelet.”
“I know,” she said. “I tried…”
“That is enough,” said Rhuun. “I am standing right here. I’m no longer invisible, thanks to both of you. If you have something to say, let’s have it.” He knelt next to Lelet and took her hand. “I am hardly expecting good news, so you might as well just say it.”
“All right.” She took a breath. He watched as she tried to compose her thoughts. Ilaan poured himself a cup of coffee, and watched both of them, as if at the theater. “It’s been a long time, you know,” she said. “Longer, in fact, on Mistra. And I thought you—well, we both thought the same thing. And I was alone. And then…I met someone.”
There it was. He waited to see how much worse it would get.
“He’s terribly worried about Rane, it was his idea that I come here.”
“That’s for sure,” said Ilaan. They both looked at him.
“Do you mind?” asked Rhuun. “We’re doing something, here.”
“Fine,” said Ilaan. “Sorry. By all means finish your story.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, looking at Ilaan curiously. “We’ve been together for about eight months. It’s gotten…well, it’s serious.”
“I see,” Rhuun replied.
“Oh, you are both going to be so glad I showed up,” said Ilaan.
“I tried to tell you last night,” she continued, trying to ignore Ilaan, “but…honestly, I didn’t want to. And I don’t think you wanted me to. And now.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’ve done just what I promised I wouldn’t.”
“You said that last night, that you’d made a promise.” He recalled the sadness in her eyes, and how he’d tried to replace it with pleasure. He’d succeeded, but only for a little piece of time. It was back. He looked at Ilaan. “Were you hiding behind the drapes, or did you miss that part?”
Ilaan made a show of hiding a yawn. “Just got here. Hurry up.”
“I promised Auri he could trust me—” Ilaan sighed gustily and rolled his eyes. She crossed her arms. “This is ridiculous. Either be still or wait in the hall.”
He held up his hands. “I am like a thing made of stone.”
“You mean a statue?” asked Rhuun.
“I was thinking more of a boulder, but yes—a statue will do nicely.” He sat back. “Go on.”
Lelet glared at him. “I promised Auri he could trust me. I mean, you and I, we were both fooled, but I can’t pretend he doesn’t exist—that he and I don’t exist. He deserves better than—”
“Okay, that’ll do, “said Ilaan. “You can pretend he doesn’t exist, because he doesn’t.”
“Of course he does.” Lelet frowned at him. “And why would you even care? The last I heard, you and Moth weren’t crossing the Vastness to keep in touch.” Her hands twitched. “How did you get in here? If you mean him harm—”
He gave her a pleased smile. “Ah, that’s the fire-throwing lunatic I remember! Welcome back. But to your point, I might say the same about you. And yet here you are. Here we are. And your story is both boring and false, and it’s making me sad, which is even more boring. So, would you like to hear the truth about this fine gentleman you’re keeping company with?”
“If you know something about Auri, I’d certainly like to hear it.” She picked up her cup. Rhuun wondered if it was possible to angrily enjoy the gift of coffee.
Auri, he thought. He has a name, this serious man, and it’s been spoken.
Ilaan let his gaze wander around the airy, open sitting room, which was now fully lit by both the hazy sun and bowls of rocks tucked in the corners. “I’ve been keeping an eye on him.”
“An eye? What does that mean?” she demanded.
As Ilaan explained how Mother Jaa showed him a world made of Doors—how to look through them, and how to walk through them, Rhuun felt the tip of a spear of hope. Ilaan may have saved me. Again.
“Auri exists in that he’s an actual person, but this wonderful specimen of human you just betrayed, that man doesn’t exist.”
Rhuun recognized the look Lelet got right before a fight. Before she could call Ilaan a liar, he said, “I assume this has something to do with why you are here?”
Ilaan nodded. “Turns out my father isn’t resting at all. He’s followed in your footsteps, Beast, and gone off to Mistra. Your good and deserving man, he and my father are working together, and they’ve set a trap.” He pointed at Lelet. “And you’re the bait.”
She hissed. “Son of a—an expert in demons. Of course. Oh, I am so stupid.”
Rhuun laid a hand on her arm. She was shaking with anger. “For what purpose?” he asked. But he already had an idea.
“They’re going to try and catch a prince,” Ilaan said. “Father is using that man of yours just like he did your little sister. But this time, he has his eye on the High Seat. He’s promised it to Auri. Beast, if you go back to Mistra, they’ll kill you.” Lelet looked murderous. He could feel heat rising from her skin; that was new. Even so, despite the danger, he couldn’t hide his happiness. “I told you you’d be glad I showed up.” Ilaan leaned forward. “Would you like to hear my plan?”
Lelet, hands flexing, asked, “Do I get to kill Auri?”
Rhuun touched her shoulder. “He is using us to get to his father. You understand that.”
Ilaan made a face. “You wound me, Beast.”
“Then it isn’t true?”
“Oh, it’s completely true. But you’re forgetting the part where we save your life—again—and bring you two back together in a more…traditional manner. If you decide to go back to Mistra, of course.” He paused and looked at the ceiling. “You don’t have to thank me.”
Rhuun found that he couldn’t stop smiling. He knew there was much unsaid between them, but at least they’d begun the conversation. “You know, I think I’ll let you pick out that street after all. The Boulevard of We Are So Lucky to Have You.”
Lelet looked from one to the other. “Demons,” she said. “Are you all crazy or is it just you two?”
“You should know,” said Ilaan. He nodded at her hands. “After all, you’re one of us, now.”
She held up her hands, which sparked with a clear, blue-white flame. Her human hands. “Do I get a street, too?”
He stared in wonder at the blaze. Whoever he had to thank for the gift of her—Light, Wind, or Aa itself, he’d find a way.
“Shani, you get the whole city.”
Here on Eriis, his mother had been revealed as his enemy. The Zaal was back in the tower and no doubt at work on something dire. His uncle the king was strange, to put it mildly. On Mistra, Yuenne had resurfaced with a plan to murder him and give the High Seat to someone even worse. And he had the case of the mysterious dead demon girl to solve.
He looked from Ilaan to Lelet.
So far, this was turning out to be the best day of Rhuun’s life.
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Rhuun and Lelet’s adventures will conclude in THE RIVER KING. Look for the final installment in The Demon Door series coming next year.
About the Author
Kim Alexander lives in Washington DC with a houseful of books, two cats, an angry fish, and a very patient husband.
Also by Kim alexander
The Sand Prince
The Heron Prince
The Claiming of the Duke
Pure: New World Magic Book One
Acknowledgments
Boundless gratitude to my editor, Carly Hayward, who read this book probably eight hundred times, and kept ge
ntly pressing it back into my hand until it was really, truly finished. The Glass Girl would not have been completed without her.
It’s good to have a team! Love to Gladys Gonzales Atwell, Laura Trujillio and the girls at Nerd Girl. More scattered rose petals for Cait Reynolds, Tracey Stewart and Shari Ryan.
As always, my friends and family who held my hand and kept my mind right.
Thank you!
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