Court of Nightmares and Ruin

Chapter 9

Grimhilde

"You incompetent fool," I hissed as I snatched Ruffin by the collar and pulled his face closer to mine.

He howled in pain as I shook his shattered, broken body.

"How could you fail me like this? Icelyn is gone, and now we may never get the chance to kill her." My anger simmered under the surface as Ruffin scooted his mangled body as far away from me as possible.

"It's not my fault that Night Realm bastard was lying in wait in her room. He nearly killed me by shoving me off the roof."

"Stop whining, you useless cur. Your body will heal itself in a few days. We have bigger problems." I stormed off before my miserable excuse of a son could whine any further.

It was time I took matters into my own hands. Once in my chamber, I approached my mirror made of pure black garnet. I closed my eyes as the melodious song of the mirror sang to me, drawing me into its soothing allure. I lightly ran my fingers across the intricate design carved into the gemstone.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, show me my destiny once and for all," I purred as my image in the mirror began to swirl and transform into a haggard enchantress.

"It is I, oh queen, but your destiny remains the same."

The mirror showed me the same scene she had shown me many times. I was sprawled out on the frozen ground as my green blood seeped from my lifeless body and stained the pure white snow.

"Icelyn is still powerful, and once she joins with her true mate, she will be invincible." The mirror explained, and my heart skipped a beat.

"The king of the Night Realm is Icelyn's fated mate?"

It wasn't a question. I repeated it aloud as if doing so would make it even more believable. Fated mates were a thing of ancient times and were now believed to be nothing more than a myth.

"What can I do?" I asked, desperation crawling up my throat, threatening to suffocate me.

The mirror swirled, and I heard chants and words I did not recognize. Finally, the image in the mirror returned to the enchantress. She held an apple in her palms, caressing it like a lover.

"Reach in and take this apple. With it, you will be able to kill her."

I stared at it as my skepticism rose. Never had I reached into the mirror. What if she pulls me inside, and I was trapped for all eternity? But what other choice did I have? I knew my fate would be sealed if I didn't do this.

I slowly reached towards the mirror, astonished as my hand easily penetrated the mirror's glass, like a hot knife through butter. The enchantress held out the apple, and I snatched it from her grasp and pulled my arm out as quickly as possible.

The mirror faded and returned to only my reflection. I stared at the flawless blood-red apple.

"Your days are numbered, Icelyn." I cackled to myself and hurried off to figure out how to get to Icelyn and entice her to eat the apple.

***

The Mirror

My plan was coming together perfectly. It was too easy to manipulate the greedy queen of the Winter Realm to do my every command.

Again, I heard the magic enchantment that summoned me to the mirror's surface. The King of the Day Realm was calling me. I am under the control of the mirror. When I am called, I have no choice but to obey.

I quickly made my way to the second enchanted mirror in the Day Realm as the king stepped out of the shadows. I grinned victoriously as he held out an iron weapon that he could hold with his bare hands without poisoning him. Even though the mirror imprisoned my powers, I could still work wonders as long as I could find some fool to reach inside.

Soon, very soon, my mission would be complete, and I would be freed from my prison inside the enchanted mirror...