The Golden Yarn (Mirrorworld 3)

“But there are others,” she said.

“Other what?” Oh no, Nerron did not trust her.

And the Pup didn’t anymore, either. Even his jade face was easy to read.

“Other Alderelves.”

Great! There were more than one left. He should have seen that coming.

“They all have mirrors,” Sixteen added. “Spieler can’t see those.”

The Pup was still looking at the Fairy. “And? I only know the one in Schwanstein.”

Sixteen tried to smile. Not easy when you had hardly any face left. “I can find them. We’re made of the same glass.”

She staggered toward the tree that had been Seventeen and stroked the face in the bark.

“I can find them,” she repeated. “Oh yes.”

Then she turned and hobbled toward the green horses still standing next to the carriage.

Will wanted to go after her, but Nerron stepped in his path. The jade was still there. The Pup was on the warpath.

“You didn’t stick to our bargain,” Nerron said to him. “Don’t try that again. You owe me. I want your promise that if you’re still alive after you’ve settled your score with the Elf, then you’ll come with me. The Jade Goyl swore an oath to Kami’en, and I will make sure he fulfills it.”

The Pup wanted to say something, but then he just nodded.

The green horses let themselves be caught. They seemed as lost as the moths, but Nerron let Sixteen and the Pup have them. He caught himself the gelding he found behind the carriage.

Sixteen struggled to get on her horse. The Pup didn’t look at her as he helped her.

/> Why are you riding with them, Nerron?

Why couldn’t he stop asking questions?

Maybe he’d send Hentzau a telegram from along the way: Bastard has crossbow. And Jade Goyl.

Maybe. And maybe not. This world was now his. He had its most powerful weapon.

Silver and Gold

It took Fox and Jacob four days to find the place the spider had shown them in its web. They were finally certain when they found a silver snake and the trail of two riders. Soon they came upon some bark, sticky with what looked like liquid glass. And then they saw the carriage.

They only dared to approach it after Fox had scouted a stream nearby to which they could flee. The memory of Sixteen’s attack was still fresh.

Will was nowhere to be seen, nor were his guards, or the Bastard.

“Your brother has found her.”

Yes.

Fox took Jacob’s hand when she spotted the dead body next to the carriage. A few steps away, the grass was covered with blood, but it wasn’t human. The trail Fox found was that of a wounded animal dragging itself away. The hoof prints were not from a horse but a stag.

Not once during their pursuit of Will had Fox realized that they were also trying to save the Fairy. She hated her and her red sister ever since she’d spent a year waiting for Jacob by the shores of their lake. They’d both caused her so much pain that Fox had often dreamed of being witness to their end. But now that she saw the Dark One lying there like a piece of bagged venison, she almost felt as if she were looking at her own corpse.

They could have made it in time. Jacob was probably thinking the same. If only his father hadn’t stolen the carpet. If only Orlando had told them earlier about the spider shaman.

If only...