Reckless (Mirrorworld 1)

"Do you know when you'll be coming back again?"

Jacob smiled.

Just go, Will.

Far away, so I can't find him.

But Will left Clara standing and went to him.

"Thank you, brother," he whispered, embracing him.

Then he turned, and stopped once more.

"Did you ever find him?" he asked.

Jacob thought he could again feel Hentzau's golden eyes finding his father's face in his.

"No," he answered. "Never."

Will nodded and Clara took his hand, but it was Jacob she looked at as his brother pressed his hand onto the glass.

And then they were gone, and Jacob saw just himself in the warped glass.

* * * * *

Fox was waiting where he had left her.

"What was the price?" she asked as she followed him to the carriage.

"The price for what?"

Jacob unhitched the horses. He would take them to Chanute, as compensation for the packhorse he'd lost. He could only hope that the Goyl would treat his mare well.

"What was the price for your brother?" Fox shifted her shape.

She was wearing her own dress again. It suited her so much better than the dress she had worn in the city.

"Don't worry about it. It's already paid."

"With what?"

She knew him too well.

"Like I said. It's paid. What's the Dwarf up to?"

Fox looked toward the stables. "Collecting his gold. It'll take him days. I was really looking forward to seeing him covered in stinking pollen."

She looked at the sky. It had begun to snow again. "We should head south."

"Maybe."

Jacob felt under his shirt for the imprint of the moth.

"You have maybe a year."

"Well? A lot could be done in a year. In this world, there was a cure for everything.

He had only to find it. Somewhere.