Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The biting wind whipped across my face, carrying stinging shards of frost that nipped at my exposed skin. I trudged onward, each step a battle against the knee-deep snow. The endless white stretched in every direction.

I blinked, rubbing my eyes against the glare. There, amid the endless white, something impossible rose from the snowy plain.

Towering ice walls stretched skyward, their surfaces so clear I could almost see through them. As I stumbled closer, my breath caught in my throat. It was a building, but the structure wasn't stable. It actually pulsed. Was this place alive? What kind of magic could make walls come to life?

As if to answer my question, ribbons of light danced within the frozen sheets, casting ever-shifting rainbows across the snow at my feet.

I reached out, half-expecting my hand to pass through the ethereal walls. Instead, my fingers met solid, vibrating…something. Not quite ice, not quite glass. The hum traveled up my arm, setting my teeth on edge.

"What are you?" I whispered in a puff of vapor. The wind snatched my words away, but the structure seemed to pulse in response, skittering a kaleidoscope of colors across the snow.

I thought of Justice again and wished he was here. With his vampire vision, he might be able to see into the building and know whether it was good or evil. Garrick may have known its history, while Maggie would have sniffed out any malice.

But none of them were here, and it was up to me.

I remembered what the mirror said. The words echoed in my mind, a cryptic instruction that now seemed like my only way forward. My heart pounded as I gathered my courage.

I inhaled deeply, straightened my spine, and lifted my chin. In a loud voice that surprised even me with its strength, I called out to the darkness.

"Sawyer Grant."

My name rang out, clear and defiant against the oppressive silence. I held my breath, straining to hear any response, any sign I had been heard—or that I was worthy.

At first, nothing happened. The darkness pressed in around me, as silent and impenetrable as before. Doubt crept in. Had I misunderstood? Was I not wor?—

A sharp crack split the air, making me jump. One of the glass-like panels shuddered, then slowly swung open like a door. A gust of warm air rushed out, carrying an otherworldly scent, like spice and ancient books.

I stumbled back, my heart pounding. "What the…" The words died on my lips as I stared at the dark opening. It was an invitation, but to what?

My mind raced. What if this was a trap? What if Maci and her demons were waiting inside, ready to pounce the moment I stepped through? The thought rattled my frozen bones.

My teeth chattered, and I trembled harder than a jiggling slice of jelly. The warmth emanating from the doorway was almost painful, promising relief from the biting chill. I suspected it was a thousand times warmer inside. But was it safe?

I peered into the glowing interior. The thought of escaping this endless winter, even for a moment, was overwhelmingly tempting. I could practically feel the heat wrapping around me, melting away hours of misery.

Yet a nagging voice in the back of my mind gave me pause. This sudden shelter in the middle of nowhere seemed too good to be true. In my experience, when something seemed this convenient, it usually came with a hefty price tag.

I stood there, swaying between desire and caution. The promise of warmth pulled at me like a physical force, urging me to step inside. Yet the unknown dangers that might lurk within held me back. Another violent shiver racked my body, and I realized I'd have to make a decision soon. Before the cold made it for me.

I glanced at my compass, seeking guidance. Its needle quivered before pointing decisively toward the structure. It might as well have been screaming at me to go inside. I grimaced, knowing what this meant. The hourglass, the thing I'd journeyed so far to find, had to be hidden in there somewhere.

Doubt gnawed at me. Every instinct honed from years of facing dangers screamed that this was too easy, too convenient. Yet what choice did I have? Turning back now would mean failure, which wasn't an option. Not with so much at stake.

I drew a deep breath, trying to still my shaking hands. "Come on, Sawyer," I muttered. "You've faced worse than a creepy ice palace."

At least, I hoped I had.

With one last look at the desolate landscape behind me, I squared my shoulders. I had no choice but to accept the ice castle's invitation.

I steeled myself and took a tentative step forward. The warmth beckoned, promising comfort. As I crossed the threshold, the panel started to swing closed behind me with a soft hiss.

Boom!

I jumped and twirled around so fast that I almost lost my balance. The door had slammed shut. My heart thundered so hard I thought it would explode. I was in utter darkness as thick and impenetrable as a velvet curtain. The abrupt transition from the bright, snow-reflected light outside to this complete absence of visibility left me disoriented. I blinked rapidly, willing my eyes to adjust, but the darkness remained absolute.

The only source of illumination was my compass, its face glowing with a soft golden light. It cast eerie shadows on my hands as I held it up. The compass's light barely penetrated a foot in any direction, leaving the rest of my surroundings a mystery.

I strained my ears, listening for any sound that might give me a clue where I was or whether I was alone. But the silence was as complete as the darkness, broken only by my ragged breathing and the thundering of my pulse in my ears.

The warmth still surrounded me, but now it felt oppressive rather than comforting. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and I couldn't shake the feeling that unseen eyes were watching me from the blackness.

I clutched my glowing compass tighter, its familiar weight anchoring me to reality in this void. As I stood frozen in place, a chilling thought crept into my mind. Had I walked willingly into a trap? If so, what dangers lurked in the shadows around me?

The needle on the compass twirled, a frantic dance in the golden glow. My heart raced in time with its spinning until suddenly, it snapped to a stop, pointing decisively.

I sucked in air, the sudden intake sharp in the stillness. To my shock, the sound didn't dissipate but grew, echoing off unseen walls. The whisper of my breath multiplied, bouncing back and forth as if I were standing in a massive canyon.

My fingers, still numb from the bitter cold outside, fumbled clumsily inside my backpack. I held my breath, afraid if I moved too suddenly, the darkness might swallow me whole. Finally, I felt the cool, smooth surface of the mirror beneath my fingertips.

With hope and trepidation, I slowly pulled it out.

The moment the mirror cleared the opening of my pack, everything changed.

It was as if someone had flipped a cosmic light switch. A soft, pearlescent glow emanated from the mirror's surface, pushing back the oppressive darkness. The light spread outward in gentle waves, revealing my surroundings bit by tantalizing bit.

I gasped as the room came into view. Gone was the featureless void, replaced by a vast chamber that defied logic. Walls of ice stretched upward, their surfaces rippling like water frozen in mid-motion. They reflected and refracted the light from the mirror, creating a dazzling display of colors that danced across the room.

The floor beneath my feet, which I'd imagined to be solid, was a mosaic of countless tiny mirrors. Each step spread ripples of light outward as if I were walking on the surface of a luminous pond.

Hanging in the air, suspended by nothing I could see, were fragments of larger mirrors. They rotated slowly, catching and throwing light in ever-changing patterns. Some reflected the room, while others seemed to display places and times far removed from where I stood.

As my eyes adjusted to this shimmering new reality, I noticed something else. The air seemed alive, with tiny motes of light swirling around me like curious fireflies. They brushed my skin, leaving trails of warmth in their wake, gradually chasing away the lingering chill in my bones.

I stood with my mouth agape, trying to process the transformation. The mirror in my hand pulsed gently as if pleased with what it had revealed. I forgot about the hourglass, about Maci and her demons, about everything except the wonder surrounding me.

Then, as if responding to my thoughts, the suspended mirror fragments aligned, forming a path through the chamber. The tiny lights swirled more insistently, urging me forward.

The mirror rippled again. I held my breath, anticipating what came next. My mother's soft voice emerged from the glass, a sound I'd grown both comforted and unsettled by throughout my journey.

"Follow the tiny lights, Sawyer," the mirror urged. "They will lead you to the truth."

I closed my eyes, letting the familiar cadence of her words wash over me. No matter how many times I heard it, the mirror's recreation of Mom's voice never failed to stir complex emotions within me.

"Only by finding the truth will you discover the hourglass," the voice continued. "Trust your instincts."

I drew a deep breath, tightening my grip on the mirror, and determined to trust my gut. This was a test. I could feel it in my bones. If I failed, I would lose everyone I loved.