CHAPTER 269: THE BLACK MIRROR’S DESIRE

Since then, this place had become her sanctuary, the one space where she could truly be alone.

Yet tonight, she ignored the inviting sofa meant for rest and walked straight toward the large flat stone standing before the wall.

Facing the black mirror that gleamed like the night itself, she poured her magic into it.

The mirror stone was a rare treasure, it was purchased from a merchant who had traveled from faraway lands.

It came from deep within the northern mountains, where only a few fragments could ever be found.

A piece this large was priceless and worth more than one or two grand estates.

Her reflection appeared on the mirror’s surface, it was a woman in a blue robe that crossed neatly in front, her fiery red hair tied high like a flame reaching for the sky.

The green lines traced her eyelids and red touched the corners of her blue eyes.

Her cheeks and chin were soft and full, yet for a woman of thirty seven, she was still strikingly youthful and beautiful.

Men often praised her with words as bright as poetry, eyes like the ocean, hair like the sunrise, beauty that shone like the sun itself.

They crowded around, each hoping for a glance of her favor.

The strong men, handsome men, there were many of them.

Yet none of them were worthy to be her husband.

Whoever stood beside her must have magic equal to her own or close enough to balance her power.

However, in all these years, she had met no one who could match her.

Her cousin Siobhan carried himself with smug confidence, as if he was certain that he alone possessed the greatest magic among men.

He already acted as if he were her rightful husband.

But she despised him the most, his has round and greedy face, heavy body and vulgar laughter.

At the thought of that unpleasant man, she frowned and shook her head, pushing the image away.

Instead, her mind returned to the beautiful man she had seen earlier, the one reflected in the dark mirror.

Perhaps he was resting now.

If he slept, even he might let his guard down.

Like a hunter waiting for the moon to dim before striking, she began to plan her next move.

The mirror’s dark surface shimmered as Dominic’s watcher carefully poured magic into it.

The image slowly took form and her breath caught in her throat.

The man appeared again, his body bare, his skin bronzed by the sun and his form strong and flawless.

Every line of his body seemed carved with purpose, it was a perfect balance of strength and grace.

He was nothing like the men of her own land, who boasted of muscle yet lacked beauty.

She raised a trembling hand toward the mirror, her heart racing.

His lips curved in a soft, entrancing smile, whispering words she could not hear.

When he looked down, the image followed, revealing the dark-haired boy she had seen before close beside him, their movements intimate, their closeness impossible to mistake.

Jealousy flared sharp in her chest.

The boy’s presence was faint, almost hidden by the man’s overwhelming light, his powerful magic illuminating everything around him.

The difference between them was clear, one shone like the sun, the other was barely a shadow.

She wanted to reach through the glass, to touch his face, to claim the smile that should have been hers.

Her hand pressed against the mirror’s cold surface as she whispered to herself, That man belongs to me.

Her pulse throbbed with anger and longing as she watched, unable to look away.

The feeling was unbearable, it was fierce enough to shake her whole body.

"It’s only for now," she murmured to herself. "Soon, I’ll take him back. Soon, he will be mine alone."

Her breath grew heavy, her eyes never leaving the image.

She had already prepared the spell, the runes glowing faintly across the stone’s surface.

And when she saw the moment that brief instant when the man’s strength seemed to fade and his guard dropped she seized it.

Gathering every drop of her power, she poured it into the black mirror stone, her magic burning with desire and fury.

In the bed of blankets they had made for their camp, Dominic lay awake.

The southern lands were already growing warmer as summer approached and the night air in the forest felt pleasantly cool.

Around them, tall trees formed a canopy of green and the soft grass beneath was like a natural carpet, making their resting place comfortable.

Lying there beside the one he loved, Dominic found it impossible to keep his emotions restrained any longer.

Shiao Yi had hesitated at first, saying he disliked the idea of doing it outdoors, but Dominic’s quiet words and gentle touch had soon calmed him.

The warmth between them grew quickly, their closeness turning heavy with feeling.

Dominic tried to remind himself that they were still on their journey and couldn’t afford exhaustion, yet his reason was slipping away.

He couldn’t help it, Shiao Yi was too beautiful, too tempting.

Every glance, every soft sound, every trembling breath drew Dominic deeper.

The sight of Shiao Yi’s flushed face, the warmth of his skin, the way his voice trembled, all of it pulled at Dominic’s heart until he could no longer think clearly.

The connection between them filled him with a joy beyond anything else in his life, something that made him forget everything except the person before him.

Even though he knew Shiao Yi might scold him later for overdoing it, Dominic surrendered completely to the rush of emotion and the weight of his love.

When at last the moment passed, Dominic let out a long breath of satisfaction and collapsed gently beside his lover, who had already begun to drift into a deep sleep long time ago.

A faint smile touched Dominic’s lips as he tried to let his body relax and sink into the warmth of the afterglow.