Magic & Mirrors: A Gay Fairy Tale (Gay Ever After Book 4) Read online

  “You’re riding on stones rather than a dirt road, the sound is quite distinctive. As for the destination, shortly before my imprisonment I attended a wedding in a neighbouring kingdom and I recall one of the grooms was in possession of a magic mirror.”

  “So?”

  Lucius rolled his eyes. “I’m trapped in a magic mirror, so it makes sense another such device might have the answer of how to free me.”

  “You think so?”

  “Do you have any better ideas?”

  “No.”

  “Then head east towards the rising sun and stop wasting time.”

  Harry did as the king ordered, though as he slipped the mirror back into his pocket he grumbled under his breath at being bossed around.

  “So, tell me about yourself,” the king called. “How long have you been making a living by killing other people?”

  “Since I was old enough to know what to do with a knife,” Harry replied. “Do you have a problem with that? It’s a perfectly acceptable career for one of my standing.”

  The snort from the king was muffled yet unmistakable. “You’re lucky I need your help or I’d see you locked up in my dungeon.”

  Harry ignored his comment. He’d been in dungeons aplenty and was quite sure he would end up in one again sooner or later. It was only a matter of time.

  “How many men have you killed?” the king asked.

  “A fair few,” Harry replied. “Not as many as you might think. There’s not much call for us these days. Times have been a bit hard in recent years.”

  “Well, aren’t I lucky that you’re still in business?” the king said with obvious sarcasm.

  “Why do you want to know how many jobs I’ve done anyway?” Harry questioned. “What difference does it make to you?”

  “No difference, except I’m the one who’s going to pardon you for your crimes and I’m curious to know just what sort of a monster I’m dealing with.”

  “I’m not a monster,” Harry argued. “I’m just a plain old assassin, trying to make a living like my father did before me.”

  “Your father was an assassin?”

  “Of course. How do you think we get trained? It’s not like there’s some fancy guild of assassins where you get to learn how to gut a man in five easy steps.”

  The king went quiet for a long time. Harry pulled out the mirror to check he was still there. The king appeared thoughtful, his lips pursed as he tapped on the lower one with his finger.

  “Are you regretting offering me a pardon?” Harry asked. “Because I can always turn round and finish my job at the castle.”

  “No!” The king shook his head rapidly. “I was just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “Well, we’re not that dissimilar,” the king replied. “Both following in our father’s footsteps, though my path has drifted somewhat off course since the wizard took over my life.”

  Harry laughed. “We’re nothing alike at all,” he said. “You’ve had everything handed to you on a silver platter, while I’ve had to work for every little scrap.”

  “Work?” The king raised a sculptured eyebrow. “You have a rather odd definition of the word.”

  Harry reined in his horse and glared into the mirror. “We’re in the middle of the Treacherous Bog right now. If I were to throw this mirror away I doubt anyone would find you.”

  “Maybe not, but you’ll come to another mirror soon, and when you do, I’ll be there.”

  “Your brother has apparently managed to avoid getting seen by you and he’s not even trying. I think I can safely say I can do as well.”

  The king sighed. “Please don’t throw the mirror away. You’re my only hope to escape this wretched prison.”

  “Will you stop judging me over my profession?” Harry asked.

  “I’ll not say another word about it until I make the formal announcement pardoning you of every crime you’ve ever committed.”

  “Your word as a king?”

  “On my honour,” the king replied as he stepped back and placed his hand over his heart.

  “Break your word and I break this mirror and any other device I see you in,” Harry warned.

  An uneasy truce agreed, Harry returned the mirror to the safety of his pocket and set off again, keeping a steady pace as he navigated the marshy land with care.

  It was nearly dawn when the edge of the Enchanted Forest came into view. Once they had passed through the forest they would be in the realm of King Stefan.

  * * * *

  King Lucius had disappeared from the mirror the next time Harry checked it. He suspected the wizard must have risen for the day and now the king was stuck acting as his reflection once more.

  Deciding to press on with his mission, Harry continued through the Enchanted Forest until he exited at the other side. The castle was visible in the distance, though Harry knew he could reach it before nightfall if he spurred his horse on.

  He wondered whether it would be wise to wait for King Lucius to return to the mirror before entering the castle. He suspected a king making a request of another king would go down far better than Harry breaking and entering. There was also the additional problem of him being a wanted man in this neck of the woods. Last time he’d travelled through the village, he had spotted several badly drawn likenesses of himself pinned to trees and posts. The mayor had been offering the handsome reward of ten gold coins to the one who captured him.

  When he reached the castle, Harry checked the mirror. He wasn’t surprised to find the king still absent.

  The building didn’t look like it would be that hard to get into. Goodness knows there were enough people wandering in and out that he could blend in with the crowd without any trouble.

  He left his horse at the stables and strolled into the castle bailey, where a troupe of acrobats was entertaining a crowd of villagers and workers from the castle. There were stalls selling food and trinkets set up throughout, and a large banner announced the celebration of the summer festival.

  Harry stopped to watch for a little while, all the time keeping an eye on the entrances to the castle, watching the staff come and go, each taking time during their break to watch the show. When he judged the time to be safest, he slipped through one of the innocuous doors to the keep and quickly navigated his way through the passages round the kitchens.

  The magic mirror wouldn’t be down here, it would be higher up, somewhere in the royal family’s quarters.

  Harry crept through the corridors, making his way to the higher floors. He wondered how many rooms a castle needed because this one seemed even more extensive than Lucius’. How in the world was he meant to find the magic mirror in such a vast place?

  Ducking into rooms every time he heard footsteps, Harry continued his search. There were a few close calls as he dodged the servants going about their daily business. Lucius’ place seemed deserted by comparison. Belatedly, he recalled he had crept into the last castle in the dead of night, when most people were asleep. Maybe he should have waited until after dark. Lucius might even have known the way to the mirror, having been here before.

  As he climbed to the higher floors, Harry noticed an increase in opulence and felt sure he must be on the right track. The wooden chairs of the lower levels had been replaced with cushioned seats of silver and gold. The walls were no longer bare, instead they were lined with paintings of landscapes, animals, and portraits. Several seemed to be by the same artist, and were signed Robert. Even to Harry’s untrained eye, the works were of high quality. He must be on the right track.

  The wooden floorboards became carpeted and everything seemed to sparkle.

  Unfortunately, there was something else the more lavish floors had, and that was an increasing number of guards.

  Two stood at the far end of the corridor, guarding the doors to the room behind them. Harry slipped back round the corner, out of sight, but another two guards were approaching him from behind.

  “Halt!” one of the guards called.r />
  Harry cast about for a door to run through and dove for the nearest one, only to find it locked. He didn’t even make it to the second door.

  The two guards grabbed him by the arms and swiftly apprehended him.

  “What’s happening out here?” The refined voice came from the direction of the guarded doors.

  Harry twisted round and saw the other two guards had stepped aside to let a handsome man in fine clothes exit the room.

  “Your Highness.” The guard to Harry’s right bowed his head. “We’re sorry to have disturbed you.”

  The prince smiled. “That’s quite all right. And who’s this?”

  “An intruder.”

  “Definitely up to no good,” the second guard added. “Just look at him. Probably a thief.”

  “I am not!” Harry had never been so insulted in his life.

  The prince smiled. “If you’re not a thief, what is your profession?”

  “I’m an assassin.” Harry raised his chin proudly.

  The prince took a step back and the guards tightened their grips on Harry’s arms. Perhaps it hadn’t been the wisest thing to say in the circumstances.

  “The dungeons?” the first guard asked. “Or straight to the scaffold?”

  “Scaffold?” Harry struggled to free himself from the guard.

  The prince shook his head. “I don’t see the need to disturb the summer festival. Take him to the dungeons, and we’ll schedule a trial for some time next week.”

  Harry scowled, but the guards had him firmly in their grasp as they marched him down to the dungeons.

  Chapter Three

  Without a window to see through, Harry had no idea what time it was, at least until Lucius’s voice came from his pocket.

  “Where are you?” Lucius asked when Harry pulled out the mirror.

  “The dungeons.”

  Lucius scowled at him. “You didn’t try to break into another castle, did you?”

  “Of course I did. You don’t think they’d let me see the magic mirror just because I asked, did you?”

  “You should have waited for me to appear. Prince Aiden has met me. I could have explained everything.”

  Harry wanted to argue, but he knew Lucius had a point.

  “Wait here,” Lucius said. “I’ll see if I can find a mirror in the vicinity of Prince Aiden.”

  “Why didn’t you do that in the first place?” Harry asked. “Seems to me, you could have kept me out of your plans.”

  “When I travel to mirrors outside my kingdom my reflection isn’t as solid as it is at home. This far away, I am barely more substantial than a ghost.”

  Harry frowned. “I can see you perfectly well.”

  “Because you see me in a mirror from my own castle. In the mirrors of this kingdom I’m a little less corporeal and no one can hear me speak.”

  “So you’ve tried to travel outside the kingdom before?”

  “Of course. Several times.”

  “How did you know you’d still be able to speak to me in this mirror?” Harry asked.

  Lucius smiled. “I didn’t, but I took a chance it might work since the mirror you carry is my own and a family heirloom. No matter how far you travel, the mirror is still part of my kingdom.”

  Harry opened his mouth to tell Lucius possession was nine tenths of the law and the mirror was his now, but he held his tongue. He’d never sunk to the depths of thievery and he didn’t intend to start now.

  “I’ll be back soon,” Lucius said as he disappeared from the mirror, leaving Harry staring at his own reflection.

  * * * *

  Prince Aiden’s castle didn’t have as many mirrors as Lucius’, but there were still a fair few around the place.

  Travelling through mirrors took time and patience. Lucius had to sense where the nearest mirror to his location was and step into it by sheer force of will. It could be quite tiring, but it wasn’t as if he had any other options.

  Lucius made his way upstairs, rapidly departing the mirrors in the maids’ quarters as he searched for Prince Aiden.

  After some time, he spotted him, right on the edge of his vision. The next mirror he jumped to confirmed he had found who he sought.

  “Come on Robert, I’ve got a surprise for you,” Aiden teased.

  “I hope it’s not anything like the last one,” Robert replied. “I don’t want another soaking in the moat.”

  Aiden laughed. “I promise, you’ll like this surprise.”

  Lucius watched as Aiden and Robert kissed. He smiled at seeing them so happy together, wondering whether he would ever have the same sort of joy in his own life.

  He certainly wouldn’t have his own happy ever after if he didn’t get out of this wretched mirror world.

  Reluctant as he was to interrupt them, Lucius felt he had to make his presence known. Apart from the fact that Aiden and Robert were getting a little too intimate, he didn’t know when they would next be in the vicinity of a mirror. If he left it too long, Harry might find himself paying the ultimate price for his crimes, leaving Lucius with no one to help him against the wizard.

  “Your Highness,” Lucius called, though he wasn’t surprised to find neither man heard him. This called for other tactics.

  Waving his arms, Lucius attempted to draw the attention of the two lovers. Unfortunately, they were too wrapped up in each other to take notice of the reflection in the mirror on the other side of the room.

  It seemed he would have to resort other methods. Lucius approached Aiden and Robert’s reflections and gave Aiden a poke in the ribs.

  In the real room, Aiden squealed and jumped.

  “What is it?” Robert asked. “That’s not your usual reaction to having my tongue in your mouth.”

  “Something poked me,” Aiden replied.

  Robert snorted. “You don’t usually complain about that either,” he teased, rubbing against Aiden.

  “Not that,” Aiden muttered. “Something poked me in the side.”

  “You’re imagining things,” Robert said.

  Lucius chuckled to himself and gave Robert a nudge on the arm.

  Robert, who Lucius had only met for a few minutes at the wedding reception, seemed to be a little more sensible than Aiden. He rubbed his arm and frowned as he stared about the room.

  Lucius ran to the very edge of the mirror and waved his arms again. “Over here!”

  It wasn’t long before Robert saw him. He grabbed Prince Aiden’s arm and pointed at the mirror.

  “A ghost!” Aiden screamed.

  Robert, who seemed less prone to hysterics, rolled his eyes and cautiously approached the mirror. Aiden followed behind him.

  “Your Highnesses.” Lucius bowed to Prince Aiden and his husband. Even though Robert had been a commoner, he was a prince by marriage and Lucius accorded him the same respect as Aiden.

  “I know you,” Aiden said. “Don’t I?”

  Lucius nodded. “We met at your wedding.”

  “Have you lost your voice?” Aiden asked. “I didn’t hear a word of that.”

  Lucius shook his head. This was going to be harder than he thought, unless he could find another way of communicating. He cast about the room, but could see nothing of use. Aiden and Robert had to have a quill and parchment somewhere around here. He mimed writing and Robert nodded and hurried from the room. He returned a moment later with several sheets of parchment and a quill and ink pot. He directed Aiden to bring a table to the front of the mirror and he placed the items on them.

  Lucius had never tried this before, but since he had no trouble manipulating items in his mirror world, he had no doubt he would be able to use the quill to write on the parchment.

  I’m King Lucius of the Kingdom of Cinders, he wrote.

  “That’s west of here,” Aiden said. “King Lucius’ father was a close friend of my father. The royal family are direct descendants of Cinderella.”

  Lucius nodded, relieved he was finally communicating.

  “Unfortunately, his
son isn’t the king my father hoped he’d be,” Aiden continued. “He’s made some rather odd decisions the last few years.”

  Lucius would have been angry at Aiden’s casual condemnation of him, except he agreed with every word. The wizard in his body was running his kingdom into the ground. If Lucius didn’t stop him soon, there might even be a war, and he’d have no kingdom to return to.

  While Aiden continued to relay to Robert some of the wizard’s more questionable actions, Lucius returned to the parchment and filled the page with everything the two princes needed to know about Harry.

  “You have an assassin in the dungeon?” Robert asked.

  “Yes, he was apprehended earlier today. A most unsavoury fellow.”

  “Perhaps we’d better have the guards bring him here,” Robert suggested.

  Lucius nodded and waited as Aiden ordered the guards to fetch Harry.

  When Harry arrived he set up the handheld mirror on the table, and Lucius stepped into it.

  “Thank you,” Lucius said. “This will make it much easier for me to talk to you.”

  “How is it you’re a reflection in a mirror?” Aiden asked.

  “An evil wizard has taken over my body, trapping me in my own reflection. Only when he sleeps do I have any freedom at all. Harry here has kindly agreed to assist me in taking back control of my life.”

  Aiden gave Harry a sceptical glance.

  “And what brings you here, Your Majesty?” Robert asked.

  “Please, call me Lucius,” Lucius insisted. “And to answer your question, your magic mirror brings me here. Do you still have it?”

  “Yes, of course,” Robert replied. “We keep it in Aiden’s study.”

  “May I speak with your mirror?” Lucius asked. “I’m hoping it might have a solution to my dilemma.”

  Robert gestured to one of the doors across the room.

  “If you don’t mind, Harry,” Lucius asked.

  Harry picked up the small mirror and carried it with him as they followed Aiden and Robert.

  “This is it,” Robert said. “The mirror belonged to my mother and her spirit resides within it.”