Mirror of Embers (Book 1)

t h i r t y - s e v e n

☼ Faune ☼

MY STOMACH REALLY HURTS. I don't have the strength to sit up and look at it though. I've been lying on the ground for I don't know how long. I finally have control over myself again. That . . . thing inside of me is quiet. It feels like it's sleeping. I can sense it deep inside of me. I can feel it like oil around my core. I don't like it, it's weird and uncomfortable. But it protected me somehow, it kept me safe when Ember and I were down in the catacombs. I don't remember much, mainly just bits and pieces. I remember being given stale bread and cheese; I can vaguely remember the guard—Carlisle—taking us to relieve ourselves. But that's it. Everything else is . . . empty. Ember and I mainly slept, in those weird coffins. I think we were down there for a couple of days, but I could be wrong. It could have been more—it felt like more.

But leading up to this point? I don't remember a single thing. I do not remember what happened. I do not know where I am either, but I've also made no attempt to get up and look around. I'm tired. My head pulses with a migraine and I just—

I don't want to do anything. I want to close my eyes and dream. It's been a very long time since I have last dreamt. Dreamt of good things, that is. I used to try and stay up and wait for Ember to start screaming, then I'd go in and calm her as much as I could. I would hold her close to me and smooth down her hair. Comforting as best as I could. Sometimes, we fell asleep together. Those nights I dreamt. Dreams about running through fields with Ember's wolves. Rora on my heels, yipping at me and wagging her tail. Ember and I giggling as we run. Those were my favourite dreams. Those and the ones about Lokas.

My eyes sting with tears. Lokas. We were supposed to have more time. We were supposed to live in a world together. A world where we could have the time to love each other. A world where we could grow old, and drink coffee on our porch, watching our grandchildren run around. A life where he'd kiss my hand and hold me close.

We were cheated. We were cheated of a life we deserved. We deserved to be happy together. That was all I wanted. Now . . . we will never get that chance because—

Tears spill down my cheeks. I cover my face with my hands and cry. I need him—I want him. I need his arms around me, I need his soothing voice and comforting words. I need his beautiful face and contagious smile. His words ring through my head. All I wanted to do was love you—body and soul. That's all I wanted to do. I was a coward. Too scared to tell him how I really felt. Too scared to be the one to utter those three words out loud. The three words that would have brought us together in an instant.

Faune, I love you. Faune, I love you. Faune, I love you. At least he knew at the end. At least we both knew—

"For fucks sake," someone groans, my hands fall from my face and senses start up. Is someone in here with me? Are they going to kill me? "I fucking hate that bastard, I hate Kam, too. Come with me, he says to me, help me find my mate. It'll be fun! He says, I will murder him. Dragging my ass to a country that doesn't like ours, taking Ember, falling through a devil mirror that almost killed me. I need a raise." He mutters.

My heart shatters. "Landon . . . ?" I moan, pain slicing through my stomach.

Landon curses, and is suddenly at my side. "Shit shit shit,"

I swallow back my fear and stare into Landon's face. His midnight hair falls into his face, I think it's the pain, and how weak my mind feels, but I push the hair from out of his eyes and tuck it behind his ear. It's long enough that it stays there. His amber eyes find mine, worry and surprise flash through. His eyes leave mine to stare at my stomach. Where the pain is coming from.