The snap of a lock. Steps, so quiet. Jacob knew only one person who could walk so quietly.
“Jacob?” The voice was more familiar than his own. Her outline was unmistakable, even through the silver fog in his eyes. And this time he would have said it, right? I love you. So much. Too much. But that was forbidden. For all time. The Elf would take his heart in payment.
“And what now?” Sylvain whispered. “Why did you want me to bring him here? Maude merde, we are sitting in a trap!”
Fox didn’t pay any attention to him.
“The mirror from your father’s study,” she whispered to Jacob, “is here.”
Here? Thoughts tumbled through his aching head. “What about Will? And Clara?”
Fox shook her head. “You two were the only prisoners.” She took his hand. “We’ll come back once you can see again.”
Sylvain whimpered like a child when Fox told him he was going to have to step in front of a mirror once more. Finally Fox took his hand and pressed it against the glass. Sylvain Caleb Fowler disappeared, and the mirror was their secret no more.
It never had been. Spieler had probably always known where it was.
Like an Open Door
“Ayoye! Ta-bar-nak!”
A shrill scream. Sounds of a fight. Jacob thought he could make out the outlines of the tower’s windows, and in front of them the figure of his cell mate, who seemed to be struggling with something. Whatever it was, Sylvain won.
“Saint ciboire!” Sylvain was leaning over something lying by his feet. “I swear it jumped me!” He sounded disgusted and fascinated.
“That, Sylvain, is a Stilt,” Fox explained.
“A what? Maude merde, I think I broke its neck!” He didn’t seem to relish the thought. It was good to know they hadn’t brought a savage killer through the mirror. And he’d killed the Stilt! For years Jacob had tried to catch that old bloodsucker. The creature was a committed baby-snatcher, and its bite had been Jacob’s first welcome to this world.
“What now?” Fox stood next to him.
To Jacob’s silver-blind eyes, the mirror was just a shimmering blob. Hard to imagine his father’s study was no longer waiting for him on the other side.
“Shall I go back and check on Will?” Fox took his hand.
“No. I’ll go, as soon as I can see again.” Jacob led her away from the mirror. He felt a brief fear that the Elf could be watching them through the glass. “Your vixen will make beautiful children. I hope you don’t take too long!” Jacob let go of her hand, as though his very touch might deliver her to the Elf. And yet he desired her even more. Of course. That was the game, wasn’t it? Forbidden desires...and always a price.
He wanted to smash the mirror, but then what? Everything seemed to indicate there were many more, but until he found the others, this was his only way back.
“Where are we?” Sylvain was standing by one of the windows. “Looks old. Really old.”
Jacob was staring at the mirror, or at whatever he could see of it.
“Let them come!” Fox whispered. “We’ll make it hard for them to find us.”
What would he do without her? He couldn’t give her up. You don’t have to give her up, Jacob. You just have to stop wanting her. Forever. He hated that word.
She went ahead. Sylvain and Jacob followed. He nearly broke his neck following her through the hatch, but he managed to descend the rope without further incident. Fox barricaded the door to the tower with a few stones so she could check later if someone had come through.
“Zut alors! There was a tiny man over there!” Sylvain shouted. He’d just seen his first Heinzel. “I know magicians can do wild things with mirrors, but this is...”
All those years, and now a stranger knew about the mirror. He could tell about it, here and in the other world. Not a nice thought. Jacob hadn’t even told Chanute about the mirror.
“Bout de charge! And what is this?”
“That, Sylvain, is a Thumbling.” Jacob could hear Fox having trouble maintaining a serious tone. “They’re very skillful thieves, so always chase them away before they can get to your pockets.”
“Ta-bar-nak!” The delight in Sylvain’s voice was obvious.